Elevator cars having a plurality of elevator car panels defining a passenger compartment of the elevator car and an interactive touch-based car operating panel system. The interactive touch-based car operating panel system includes an interactive element extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the passenger compartment and located on at least one of the plurality of elevator car panels, the interactive element having an interactive surface facing the passenger compartment and a controller arranged to receive passenger input at the interactive surface and control an elevator car in response to the passenger input.