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.
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.
If looking at the screen to find the volume touch control causes more accidents than physical knobs, that’s a safety issue.
It’s clearly not the right solution to let car manufacturers decide that either, or we wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with.
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
Then we agree. Anything driving related shouldn’t be in the touchscreen. Both my cars have touch screens my Tesla you have to use it for almost everything.
The Audi just for non-driving functions.
The Tesla use to be better but they changed it. It’s harder to do anything on it now.