As of: March 7, 2024, 6:00 a.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
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The Euro NCAP crash testers see pure touch operation as a major risk of accidents.
A change in the evaluation criteria will require more “real” buttons from 2026.
It was a while ago when BMW introduced the then new 7 Series (E65) with the revolutionary (and initially very controversial) iDrive operating system in 2001.
A so-called rotary-push control was used as the central control element for the screen in the vehicle because the flood of buttons could hardly be controlled.
Little by little, almost all other car manufacturers followed suit with similar operating systems.
From 2012, Tesla came with the huge touchscreen in the Model S - and after initial hesitation, the other car manufacturers also relied on this technology.
But as has now become clear, customers don't want to do without some of the "real" buttons - for example the volume control or the climate control.
At VW, for example, they have taken customer protests about pure touch controls in the vehicle to heart - brand boss Thomas Schäfer vowed to make improvements.
An innovation in Euro NCAP could soon force manufacturers to no longer offer pure touchscreen operation.
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“Separate, physical controls for basic functions”: Euro NCAP criticizes touch controls
As
Ars Technica
reports, the automotive safety organization Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) wants to change the ratings in its tests from 2026 so that manufacturers would be encouraged to "use separate, physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive way."
This would shorten the amount of time the driver spends looking away from the road, thereby promoting safe driving.
At Tesla, almost all operation is done via the touchscreen.
From 2026, a change to Euro NCAP could lead to more buttons again.
(Symbolic image) © TT/Imago
“The overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem with nearly every vehicle manufacturer moving key controls to centralized touchscreens, forcing drivers to take their eyes off the road and increasing the risk of distracted driving accidents,” said Matthew Avery, Director for strategic development at Euro NCAP the medium.
Hazard lights, horn, windshield wipers: which functions “real” buttons should have
Avery followed up
on
LinkedIn : “Bring back the buttons,” he demanded on the platform.
And emphasized again there: “Distraction accidents are increasing, and large touchscreens promote distraction while driving.” According to the
standard
, from 2026 , vehicles without certain physical buttons will receive point deductions in the overall Euro NCAP rating.
For example, there should be a “real” button for the hazard warning lights so that a car can receive a rating of five stars.
The horn, indicators, windshield wipers and all SOS functions such as eCall should also be able to be operated using a button or switch.
Although Euro NCAP cannot issue regulations, for many manufacturers a five-star rating is a popular and important marketing tool when it comes to safety, which is why they want to meet the requirements as much as possible.
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The reassessment of Euro NCAP could particularly affect Tesla: The electric car manufacturer has now banned almost all levers, buttons and buttons from its vehicles.
The US car manufacturer has already had to put up with a lot of criticism for its operation: In Norway, for example, driving schools rebelled because of the special Tesla steering wheel indicator, which, according to driving instructors, is a big problem, especially in roundabouts.