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-   -   Euro NCAP wants carmakers to offer physical buttons for at least the basic functions (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-safety/277794-euro-ncap-wants-carmakers-offer-physical-buttons-least-basic-functions.html)

According to reports, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) wants carmakers to change the way certain basic features in the vehicle are controlled in 2026.

Reports suggest that the automotive safety organisation feels that the vehicle manufacturers are over-reliant on central touchscreens to control almost every feature. This according to the Euro NCAP raises the risk of distraction as it obliges drivers to take their eyes off the road.



Hence, the European Automotive Safety Organisation wants to encourage carmakers to bring back physical buttons. Euro NCAP though, isn't insisting on having a separate switch for every single feature, but to see physical buttons for at least some basic functions. These include turn signal indicators, hazard lights, windshield wipers, horns and a few other SOS features. These, according to Euro NCAP should at least help limit driver's eyes off-road time, thereby improving safety.

Mathew Avery, Director of Strategic Development, Euro NCAP, stated, "The overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with almost every vehicle-maker moving key controls onto central touchscreens, obliging drivers to take their eyes off the road and raising the risk of distraction crashes." He further added, "New Euro NCAP tests due in 2026 will encourage manufacturers to use separate, physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive manner, limiting eyes-off-road time and therefore promoting safer driving."

Reports also state that while the Euro NCAP doesn't have the power to mandate carmakers to use physical buttons, a five-star safety rating is surely a strong selling point.

Source: ARSTechnica

Thanks to the Team-BHP fan (he prefers to remain anonymous) who sent this in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

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Not to steal any credibility from the topic, but are really manufacturers now giving touchscreen controls for turn signal indicators, hazard lights, windshield wipers, horns rl:

If so, then its a lost cause for those fighting for physical control buttons for infotainment and climate control settings :coldsweat

Current trends do indicate in that direction. But it is a good step by Euro NCAP to reduce dependence on screens. Especially in EVs. What will Elon say about this?

Climate control buttons should always be physical buttons i feel. Sometimes you want to change the blower speed or the temperature and a tactile sensation is much better to work off of than fiddling around and ultimately looking down for a moment to see which control is where

I wish they'd do something like this here too. Hey, Tata, are you listening? Can you switch back to having physical buttons for hazard lights and door unlock instead of touchscreen controls please:? Ah, things were much simpler back then...


P.S. No offence meant to Tata; I mentioned them because they serve a diverse customer base. But really, all car manufacturers should take note: features like hazard lights and door unlock buttons should have physical buttons, not just touchscreen controls.

About time some legislations are put into place. Not just cramming everything into the touchscreen, substituting physical buttons with capacitive touch ones should also be regulated.

Call me old school, but one of signs of a well designed interior is a visible, instantly usable hazard lights button. Instead we have aesthetically concealed or one among a row of buttons design.

Horns and turn signals are a mainstay and not going anywhere. The rest can. Hazard lights are there all right but have gone capacitive touch in many. Even the ones in the facelifted Harrier/Safari is poorly designed and even placed besides the boot release button. Other than emergency spray/wash and wipe, wiper controls are buried in the touchscreen in Tesla. Also the new Chevrolet Colorado. Weirdly it has buttons and knobs everywhere for all functions. Not stingy on that. But it doesn't have physical headlight controls except for turn indicators and hi-beam flashing. Wonder how much money they had saved on deleting the headlights switches.

I dont think there is any manufacturer out there who is using touchscreens for indicators or hazard lights which would be a legal nightmare. Imagine an emergency and you werent able to use your hazard lights because the touchscreen was not working. The manufacturer will be sued out of existence in no time at all.

The new Tatas have a touch panel for the hazard lights and also for things like lock/unlock, charger release, boot opening etc. The panel is fidgety to use, needs you to take your eyes and mind off the road, and always requires 2-3 presses to get it working as desired.

The image is three posts above.

Tesla is the first one coming to my mind. Not only stuff like the AC controls, Glove box open button etc were moved to the touch screen, they removed the gear stalk, moved the turn signals, horn, wiper controls into yoke steering wheel as touch sensitive buttons. I think they reverted some of the changes in later models because of customer complaints.
Other manufacturers are following the same path with touch screens and as far as i know, it is cheaper for manufacturers to have a screen control everything.
Europe seem to be passing laws with customer well being in mind, when it comes to both electronic devices and automotives. 😌

A capacitive touch panel is not the same as a touchscreen control. That button is always there and you can use it even if the infotainment screen was not working. Not commenting on the merit of the tech just that they are not the same.

Yes, it is different. But AFAIK other than the permanent positioning of the capacitive touch panel there is no advantage to it other than cool factor or aesthetics or cost cutting. Atleast the ones on the touchscreen can be updated when needed or customised or moved around.

This is music to my ears! It is a horrible trend being adopted by
every manufacturer and it seems like there is no end to it, started with Tesla and some offerings in China, the trend has spread like wild fire, I feel the following functions should always be handled with physical buttons/switches (I am fine if there is an option to change these via the touchscreen for those who want the novelty, but retaining a physical control for essential functions should be a homologation requirement)

- Climate control/HVAC settings
- Hazard lamp switch
- Door locks, door handles
- Volume control
- Steering mounted buttons
- Indicator and Wiper stalks

It is not like manufacturers do not offer physical buttons anymore, Take BMW for example, they have physical shortcut buttons for their iDrive but no physical controls for HVAC, I fail to understand how the infotainment usage takes a priority over HVAC settings, In my opinion this has to stop!

Using a touch interface while driving is cognition-wise very similar to using a phone (not calling) while driving, which is downright dangerous and illegal. All controls needed while driving should be physical buttons. Only advanced settings should be moved to any sort of touch interface (with or without display)

Indeed and a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is Tesla steering wheel and hazard button. Good to see that some regulations are being drafted and EU coming to the rescue.

Offtopic.

I remember that the initial OG Safari versions had random buttons stacked in the dashboard till the version with the analogue clock came and it was simplified. Checked online for pictures and realised that TATA had paid homage to the Safari with almost the same positioning of buttons.:D

The export model Safari.



Safari owned by bhpian AVR.


And the initial DICOR version, which seems to be the inspiration for the current Safari's centre console capacitive touch panel.