With the development of the smart cockpit, in-vehicle list selection tasks have become increasingly common in IVIS (In-Vehicle Infotainment System). This study investigated three steering wheel gestures-Arrow Buttons (AB), Direct Manipulation (DM), and Direct Manipulation with Scroll-bar (DMS)-for controlling the IVIS. The effects on efficiency, driving performance, visual load / cognitive load, safety, and subjective task load were examined in a simulated driving environment using common driving and eye movement metrics. Results indicated that the DMS gesture enhanced efficiency but deteriorated driving performance in certain scenarios. AB gesture exhibited the highest visual load, while DM gesture imposed the lowest cognitive load. Any gesture used on the central display caused the driver to spend an excessive maximum duration of glances to display. DMS gesture held the least subjective task load. This study comprehensively evaluated these gestures' effects, offering insights into steering wheel button design for future automotive interfaces.