A vehicle control system includes at least one touch pad having a plurality of touch sensitive elements and processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the at least one touch pad. The processing circuitry is operable to receive touch pad input from the at least one touch pad, the touch pad input corresponding to a user's touch of at least some of the plurality of touch sensitive elements. The processing circuitry further processes the touch pad input to determine user finger characteristics. The processing circuitry further processes the user finger characteristics to identify the user via pattern recognition and alters at least one vehicle setting based upon the identified user. Vehicle settings may be one or more of entertainment system settings, navigation system settings, suspension system settings, seat settings, mirror settings, steering wheel settings, climate control system settings, suspension system settings, engine control system settings, lighting system settings, and communication system settings.