Carmakers are equipping their latest models with fancy touchscreens, but that could cause problems with Europe’s largest car safety authority.
The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is revamping its rating system starting Jan. 1, 2026 to mandate that five of a car’s primary controls — its horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard warning lights and SOS features — will need physical buttons or switches.
Car models will have to comply to get NCAP’s coveted five-star rating. The scheme is voluntary but is heeded by most automakers because it’s closely monitored by consumers.
Belgium-based NCAP says that purely digital controls are a potential safety issue.
to mandate that five of a car’s primary controls — its horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard warning lights and SOS features — will need physical buttons or switches.
Good, but would be great if climate control, volume/mute, and other things that need frequent adjustment while driving were also part of the mandate.
Car seat adjustment, above seat vehicle interior lights, steering wheel adjustment, door handles, door locks, main rear view mirror, climate controls for vents and seats, car starting, and trunk and seat releases should all have controls that can be operated either directly or with physical buttons.
If there is ALSO a screen driven element, that’s fine, but this stuff needs to work without a screen.
This stuff is not being done for the sake of UX. It is for saving money at the expense of consumer safety.
I can see the case for some of them after you’ve been in a crash (although if the pyro fuse has blown, not much requiring switches will work anymore, regardless of the type of controls), but if you want physical controls for the rear view mirror for safety, you should probably start adjusting that before you start driving.
Same for cabin lights, whatever you’re doing that needs the lights on should probably be done stationary, if you care about safety.
Enough. One screen may cost $5, but if it replaces 10 - 20 15¢ buttons, that’s still worthwhile.
Especially since there would be labour cost savings installing buttons, and not having to spend time installing spacers replacing those buttons for different trims, when they can just do it all in one screen, and fold it into the infotainment system install cost.
You shouldn’t be adjusting your seats, steering wheel, and mirrors while driving. Interior lights neither, they should be off if you need them you’re not looking at the road. Climate control is also non-critical all that might be annoying but you don’t need to do it while driving. “car starting” isn’t really a thing with many cars any more, even gasoline ones, they switch the motor off automatically when you’re standing for a while and start once you select a gear, hit the throttle, whatever.
Door handles though I absolutely agree, it’s a safety thing: You can make them fancy schmancy electric all you want but they also have to open the lock mechanically, e.g. by pulling the lever with some force none of that Tesla “open the maintenance hatch and find a steel cable to pull on”.
Climate control actually is critical, since fogging/frosting of the windshield is a thing.
I have Tesla and their old design I could do easily while driving. They did a UI update and not everything takes several clicks. Anything that is critical to running the car should have a manual control. If touch screen isn’t available, you need to be able to operate the car, if nothing else to get to a repair center.
What controls do you need to operate the car?
I though everything the article mentions is already a physical control, like horn and windshield wipers.
It’s only temperature that is digital.
In the Tesla the wipers are on the touch screen.
I’ve heard new models also to change gears you use the touch screen. Mine has a control for that but I’ve heard in newer models they removed that.
Temperature is also touch screen.
Eh, I think this strikes the perfect balance where it ensures safety while not stifling innovation. Touchscreens are bad, and the consensus around that is growing. But the solution might not be a return to physical buttons, there are many possibilities and some might turn out easier and safer.
If you’re implicitly suggesting voice commands or throwing “AI” into the mix, I would dare say that’s worse.
No I’m just against closing doors. This is a great example of the bare minimum being regulated due to safety and it’s regulated to be something tried and tested, like anything safety related should be. While letting the market, i.e. us consumers decide on the other stuff. It’s not the right solution to have politicians decide how a cars auxiliary functions should be operated.
Touch screens are not “bad”. They’re great for things like gps. They’re just bad for driving functions.
Was still talking about the safety stuff here. Like turn signals and hazard lights and the stuff the person above wanted added in climate controls etc
