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.
Nice to see EU policy finally flourishing now that they’re no longer getting nerfed by the UK’s membership.
True that. There have been so many wins in just a few years.
Also trying to regulate encryption… but the UK tried to do that itself too.
This is the truth. The EU is much more efficient without the UK.
What made the UK such a hindrance for the EU?
Modern England is a blight apon civilization, though half joking aside. As I understand it the UKs conservative bullshit maid it so they functioned like Kentucky here in the US, basically drawing shit out till it died. Which is makes sense when you consider that England without London is about as wealthy as Mississippi.
Kentucky 💪💪💪
yes I’m a Kentucky nationalist how could you tell?
Cgp Grey had a good video on the problems with the UK voting system.
I prefer the idea that the Anglo-Saxon brain is just naturally suited to licking boots and becomes angry when others don’t
Ever since the Norman French invasion of 1066, exile was the British solution for potential trouble makers. The Anglo Saxon nobility ended up in Constantinople, but once there were colonies, exile really became Britain’s version of bread and games. Troublesome people, like people with opinions or pregnant maids, could be send to the other side of the world whenever needed. Once all people with opinions on things like fairness and egality are gone, then you are left with the complacent bootlickers who are are happy to just victim blame. Until it happens to them that is, then it’s unfair.
Hey lets give the Angles some credit here, the areas they settled revolted a lot historically. I think the Scots and Norse rubbed off on them. But the Saxons on the other hand I aint got a fucken clue. Like that worked out for my ancestors since they rode with William the conqueror and it made occupation of southern England easy but fuck they wanted a fight and only the North gave it to them.
Probably because they wanted to be like us in the US.
Okay. In what way?
Ineffective and authoritarian, ready to jump into any new war, a populace that votes against their own best interest because of what their leader with a bad haircut tells them, staunch opponents to anything that could be labeled progress?
I can’t answer your question because I don’t know. But I take it maybe you mean that as a rhetorical question?
Sounds very bad if true, which I have no doubt it is.
They had a veto and they also had the Tories
Wow, have any car manufacturers actually tried changing these functions to touch buttons? I know Tesla got rid of the stalks, but my understanding was they still had physical buttons on the wheel to replace them.
My father has a relatively late model Toyota Avalon. It has a touch screen infotainment system; there are physical buttons on the steering wheel for most functions and a physical volume knob on the dashboard.
The HVAC controls have their own panel, but they’re touch sensitive. So you can’t feel for the knob or button you want and then interact with it. That shouldn’t be legal.
Yeah I’ve seen plenty of HVAC and other auxiliary functions like radio moved to touch (and absolutely agree it shouldn’t be legal), but never the five they’re legislating in the article (horn, indicators, wipers, hazard, SOS). Imagine touchscreen indicator buttons! The market would rip them apart.
I thought Tesla put handbrakes on the touchscreen as well, which seems all sorts of crazy to me… Might as well make a list of stuff we really dont want on there now I guess.
can we please throw in banning blue LED headlamps too?
Can’t wait to get enough money to buy a car before 2005
Why 2005?
Probably the get last time touchscreens weren’t in cars
I have a 2014 Nissan Sentra (base model), and it doesn’t really have any tech. No touchscreen, no wireless (it doesn’t even have USB audio, only 2.5 mm), and not even cruise control. So 2005 is a lot older than touchscreen dominance.
Ok then. My 2012 Prius had a touchscreen and everything else you mentioned. Op may have just been exaggerating though
I’m not arguing with you, just wanted to add my own little info in the most applicable place (and to complain about touch screens :)
My 2017 Honda Civic doesn’t have a touch screen but I did specifically have to get the “lower end” LX model. All the EX models I looked at were touch control.
Paying less money to ensure I don’t get garbage I hate? Don’t threaten me with a good time.
EDIT: I enjoy how I managed to accidentally format the “not arguing” bit in huge font so I’m screaming at you for some reason… Sorry
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.
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.
For mine, the wipers are on the left side. You can click once to run it once and then use the roller buttons to change intensity
Do you have gear selector on yours ?
I’d actually like that setup. Mine is all touch for wipers since they are “automatic”.
My Audi has a control for it. Now I do feel the Audi has too many sticks. I have three which just seems like too many.
Gear selector? No of course not, mine doesn’t have gears (or so I’ve been told so). I was told that the idea is that the driver shouldn’t need to touch the touch screen mid drive, and honestly, imo it’s mostly like that. Having said that, I would like further improvement like temperature buttons/knobs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If looking at the screen to find the volume touch control causes more accidents than physical knobs, that’s a safety issue.
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.
If you are operating any of these while driving, you are doing something wrong
This stuff is not being done for the sake of UX. It is for saving money at the expense of consumer safety.
This. Everyone, keep your eye on the ball.
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.
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.
It is for saving money at the expense of consumer safety.
People keep saying this but I don’t buy it. Like, how much does some fucking buttons cost? Hell the cheap cars still have buttons and mechanical controls with cables and shit.
And at the cost of consumer dissatisfaction. I think this is just more “change for the sake of change” so that someone can justify their job at the company that we’ve all come to know from the tech world.
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.
and opening the fucking doors
Is this some tesla thing or what?
Not just Tesla, bunch of manufacturers are doing this shit now.
Drive controls too, no swipe for reverse bullshit.
Yea I honestly hated when they made automatics go from a physical shifter that shifted actual gear linkage to electric selection dials. It’s insanely stupid, and a fucking nightmare to repair, but now going to a touchscreen is asking to get people injured.
Tesla has mechanical door pulls on the interior but they are supposed to be for emergency use only. Otherwise there are buttons on the interior door handles.
Exactly! Climate, audio, seats and mirrors controls also must be physical as they are more or less directly related to safety
Fucking good, everything being touchscreen is completely insane.
I love living in Europe.
As long as you’re not fr*nch
Except for the blatant racism, i could do without that.
racist cowards be downvoting
except of course for the blatant racism against non-western people, the current shift towards neofash politics (meloni etc), the militarization and the impeding economic collapse.
how do liberals manage to ignore problems so efficiently?
except of course for the blatant racism against non-western people, the current shift towards neofash politics (meloni etc), the militarization and the impeding economic collapse.
All of which already happen in the US, but worse.
The entire world sucks, can’t we be happy of living in a place that sucks a bit less?
i do acknowledge that that things are worse in the us, but that doesnt make the deficiencies in europe any better. one shouldnt just accept that the world sucks, but start fighting for a better one. just look at cubas success
We are fighting for a better one. All those recent EU regulations are doing exactly that.
I’d love if we could address those issues you’ve listed too, since they’re obviously more important, but it seems really hard until the european left actually wakes up and starts promoting actual candidates.
Racism? Sure there is some racism but Europe is hella diverse bro.
I live in the UK and I’m proud that Manchester is multi-cultural. Don’t listen to the headlines, most of us ain’t racist.
Where you from dude? Just wondering if you should or should not be throwing stones at glass houses.
im living in central europe but am of eastern european descent. due to looking “white” i usually get less discrimination than my turkish and arab friends, but its still way harder to get a job or higher education for non-native people, as higher pay positions are almost exclusively reserved for westerners. it is also harder to get a decent apartment with a foreign sounding name and in case of legal matters you can bet that the cops will rather believe the word of a native than yours.
I’m sincerely appreciative of everything they do for consumers as a whole. Not everything makes it across the pond but at the very least it sets precedent and a lot of the groundwork is done if our politicians ever decide to get their shit together and give us a ground to stand on against corporations and lobbyists.
A guy can dream.
I hope that happens too.
So say we all.
Touchscreens in cars are stupid. Add miniature track pads to that too.
I’d be ok with a haptic track ball or pad. If it gave you a noticable “click” it would be miles above the current screens.
I am specifically talking about the micro pads they put on the Mercedes Benz steering wheels. Everything is still done at the touchscreen, but now you have a track pad to navigate it with. It is faster and safer to reach over and touch the screen. Less time with your eyes off the road when you are driving a big ass van.
The capacitive Mercedes wheel is the worst… not to mention they still don’t have a dedicated track forward button. It’s baffling and insane.
My A4 has it. I love it. When searching for something in the car, I don’t need to pull my phone out. I can just write the letters on the console.
You need to fuckin write while driving? That’s nuts…
Or simply install a physical button.
they should just link the display to the steering wheel
to go left and right you steer accordingly
to go up and down you accelerate or break
EU being based as always. I have to admit it’s pretty damn rare they let me down.
This is just the Euro NCAP guidelines, not actual EU regulation, but still a positive development.
And I agree that the EU have been on an amazing streak lately, they seem to be the only governing body actually fighting for consumer rights.
It’s going to be funny when there’s an entire decade of vehicles no one wants to buy on the used market. I’m looking forward to it. These touchscreens are terrible.
It would be excellent if Europe forces manufacturers to replace old touchscreens at their own expense.
Using your phone while driving is illegal, so we made all the controls on the same technology.
Genius. About time it’s banned.
To be fair, using phones while driving was banned in most countries back when phones still had physical buttons.
My favorite is the warning to not look at the screen, which you have to acknowledge to get it to go away.
That’s actually a good idea, because when your finger is wet the touchscreen doesn’t work and on touchscreen is more difficult to develop muscle memory, so you spend more time distracted trying to find the spot on screen to touch
Also can you please ban piano black from interior?
I only have a touch screen for entertainment and configuration and still notice how distracted I get when I have to use it. No haptic feedback and multilayered menus are just a bad idea while driving.
Cherry in top is driving at night with astigmatism when theres’s a whole illuminated panel in your face.
They forgot add acceleration, breaks and clutch to this list.
But as ussual: EU, I belive in you!
