Automakers must bring back physical controls if they want the top safety rating in Europe

[midian182]

A hot potato: Do you yearn for a time when vehicles had more physical buttons in their cabins and fewer touchscreens/touch controls? Drivers in Europe can expect to see a lot more old-school interiors after January 2026, which is when vehicles will be required to come with physical controls for certain functions if they want to earn a five-star safety rating.

Independent vehicle safety organization the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) says it is introducing new guidance at the start of 2026 that will require five important vehicle functions – turn signals, hazard warning lights, windshield wipers, horn, and SOS features – be activated by physical controls if a car wants to earn its five-star safety rating.

"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," said Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP's director of strategic development.

"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," Avery added.

NCAP testing is voluntary – it can't force automakers to do anything - but many companies use its ratings to promote the safety of their vehicles. One of these is Tesla, which is likely to be most impacted by the changes. Elon Musk's vehicles removed the stalks that were used for turn signals in favor of haptic buttons on the steering wheels, a decision that many people are unhappy about and some claim was only done to save money, not for customer convenience.

The increasing amount of tech, especially touch screens, appearing in new cars has been a source of controversy for many drivers who complain that it is distracting and more likely to break than traditional physical controls.

In March last year, Sang Yup Lee, Head of Hyundai Design, confirmed that the company was keeping buttons and dials in its vehicles during the launch of the new-generation Hyundai Kona. Lee said the decision was simply a safety issue.

In June, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer admitted that the addition of touch-sensitive inputs in his brand's cars, introduced by predecessor Herbert Diess, had caused plenty of frustration among loyal customers. This led to the ID2.all concept electric car featuring several physical buttons placed beneath the touchscreen, something Volkswagen interior designer Darius Watola said would be "a new approach for all models" based on "recent feedback from customers," especially those in Europe who wanted more physical buttons.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/102134-car-makers-must-bring-back-physical-controls-if.html

 

[yRaz]

Removing physical buttons as a cost saving measure while saying that "consumers need to get used to the future" was the most absurd thing in the world. I've been hearing people complain about screens in cars for nearly a decade now.

 

[opckieran]

I love this idea, but can’t help but think that in makers’ insane race to increase vehicle marketability at the cost of vehicle longevity, this will end up leading to a greater proliferation of screens WITHIN physical controls. So this is maybe not as much of a win for reliability as some might hope.

 

[dangh]

There is nothing more stupid that removing a proper physical controls from the cars just to make things looks nicer - or more or less reduce cost. As a driver I don't want to fight with any touch screen. Muscle memory for knobs and switches simply works and is best way to interact with car's settings. Unless we get a fully self driven cars with a full voice control - and even then, a physical buttons will be welcome.
I hope this will be a proper requirement by EU at some stage.

 

[Axeia]

You can't have muscle memory to the same degree on one input that tries to do it all. Especially when that one input is a flat smooth surface all the way across.

It's obvious that things that are used often whilst driving should have dedicated buttons. Manufacturers just try to cut costs with touch screens, they're there anyway (no additional per unit cost), buttons don't look futuristic. For the end user side from aesthetics which are subjective it's just worse in pretty much anyway.

Durability wise, ehhh not so sure physical input buttons are better. That's however definitely offset by not accidently doing the wrong thing far more often and getting distracted.

 

[stewi0001]

I'm still surprised they never tried making the steering wheel a touch screen XD

 

[opckieran]

I'm still surprised they never tried making the steering wheel a touch screen XD

Please delete this, we don’t need them getting any more crazy ideas. What’s next, the windows? The doors? The seats? The kids?

 

[nismo91]

In the tech world, we also see similar trend in keyboard industry. instead of overusing the touchscreen, manufacturers would map important buttons into FN combination presses. I miss the older days of keyboard shopping where I'd compare some keyboard based on how useful the extra dedicated buttons are.

nowadays it's so boring. manufacturers just slam RGB everywhere and often put low profile keycaps on everything. I remember people used to hate typing on laptop keyboards because they're so thin and they're not as common.

 

[dangh]

In the tech world, we also see similar trend in keyboard industry. instead of overusing the touchscreen, manufacturers would map important buttons into FN combination presses. I miss the older days of keyboard shopping where I'd compare some keyboard based on how useful the extra dedicated buttons are.

nowadays it's so boring. manufacturers just slam RGB everywhere and often put low profile keycaps on everything. I remember people used to hate typing on laptop keyboards because they're so thin and they're not as common.

As someone who moved from 200 years old keyboard layout to likes of Solle / Corne, I'd argue trend is totally different. And fn keys are actually a good way to address some proper layers, but again I get this do not work properly with the standard, legacy boards. Much better option are home row modifiers as well allowing to much more ergonomical typing and better culture of work.
Innovation is happening like crazy in the world of keebs, you just don't look that direction

 

[Thrackerzod]

Touch screens in cars is beyond stupid. You have to take your eyes off the road to use them.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Going back to physical buttons/knobs in a car isn't old school. That's stupid you wouldn't think that way.

People learn from touch and build up muscle memory. You take away the ability to feel what you're using and you can't build muscle memory, so now instead of moving your hand to where the controls are and being able to feel the buttons and press them without looking these stupidass-flatscreens have taken over a lot of cars. People can't tell what they're doing without looking, which means they're taking their eyes off the road.

Whatever dumbasses decided touchscreens were the way to go, hopefully they've been removed from that position and put into a job more suited for their mental capabilities with the company....such as scrubbing toilets.

 

[m3diapers]

I just got my new car, and it's really sad to see BMW, and Audi all use ugly screens instead of mechanical odometers. Especially BMW's one-piece panel the most ugly thing I've ever seen in a car.

 

[trparky]

Good! I'm tired of car dashboards looking like the bridge of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D).

 

[subnex]

One of the things that annoyed me the most over the last years was that car reviewers slammed every car that "didn't go with the times" because they had "ugly old fasioned buttons everywhere" and not a sleek looking tablet.
I applaud the proposal, but it should reach further. AC controls should be physical as well. Too many manufacturers hide them in menus where multiple touches and looking at a screen is required.

 

[BadThad]

Coming soon, the EU sues car manufacturers for billions of dollars for not complying. The EU bureaucrats could care less about consumers, they are focused on generating fines, especially on American companies.

 

[Thrackerzod]

Coming soon, the EU sues car manufacturers for billions of dollars for not complying. The EU bureaucrats could care less about consumers, they are focused on generating fines, especially on American companies.

Most car companies are not American (I know, you think the world revolves around you). As for their reasons for doing this, they seem perfectly sound to me. Unless you actually LIKE having stupid ipad touch controls for your car.

 

[hwertz]

I just got my new car, and it's really sad to see BMW, and Audi all use ugly screens instead of mechanical odometers. Especially BMW's one-piece panel the most ugly thing I've ever seen in a car.

Yep! The used 2013 Cruze I bought a few years back, there were tons of them for sale so I got to find just what I wanted. The lots thought I was crazy for wanting a 1LT, *not* 2LT. But 2LT had a touch screen entertainment system (and apparently a particularly poorly designed/implemented one at that.) I have knobs, sliders, and buttons for typical use of my radio and climate control. The radio DOES have a screen but it shows the station, outside temperature, time, and the line or two of info from FM or SiriusXM stations that provide that info. That's it. There IS a menu button to go into a menu, but that is JUST for setup (setting the clock, pairing a new phone or unpairing one, all the non-routine stuff that one might want to futz with occasionally.)

I was shocked at how ugly the screen is on some of these vehicles (and that inlcudes the Tesla I rode in!) I'm not talking about what is ON the display (which, at least on the Tesla, whether it's easy to use or not, does look stylish)... I mean the display itself. They look like they took a conventional dashboard and just bolted a tablet to it. Several newer vehicles it looks like they've done the same, just removed the conventional controls and speedo, etc., and just bolted a tablet in the center of the dashboard. Seems like there should be some way to blend it into the dashboard better.

Anyway, I'm all for this. Having easy to use turn signals, emergency flashers, wiper controls, headlight controls (I realize they are automatic, but so are mine, and there's occasional times you want to force them on or off), high beams on/off, radio volume control and the temperature (if it's automatic climate control) at least shoud be easy go get to without having to stare at a screen and tap through controls.

To be clear, I'm not a luddite! My parent's Kia Niro has a touch screen control system and it's great! It has a convetional dashboard (with a digital part in the middle that shows speed by default, there's a knob to toggle it through the couple other bits of info it can show like tire pressure and engine temp.) It has conventional controls (shifter wipers, headlights, etc.), buttons and knobs for the radio and buttons and knobs for the climate control. The touchscreen has apps for radio and climate control (if you do want to adjust them by tapping on the screen), a few other apps, informational screens (the hybrid power flow one is cool I think), it shows nav on there (if her car had nav), the backup camera, and Android Auto and Apple Carplay. But there's enough buttons and knobs that you don't have to touch it at all for day-to-day use! My mom looks at the backup camera when reversing, she tapped through menus to pair her phone, but THAT IS IT, you have touch screen stuff there if you want but you NEVER have to tap anything on it for day-to-day use!

 

[axiomatic13]

This is a "must do" in America too. Ford is doing a good job of figuring out how to use the physical dial on my F-150 Lightning for functions it was not intended for. Example: The A/C and seat heating used to be touch screen only. Now they have made the touch screen button massive, and then once you hit it, you can then use the volume knob to adjust the A/C. A far easier thing to do now while driving. But that right there is an admission from Ford that physical devices are superior to touch screen safety wise.

 

[Ultraman1966]

I look forward to Elon Musk's tirade of abuse at the EU.

Honestly, at one point I was tempted by a Tesla, then I test drove a Model Y and I realised how overhyped they were... with so many odd decisions like removing USS before they implemented cameras for all blind spots (the front camera cannot see below the hood due to angle etc). Then the latest thing of removing the indicator stalks... ok, it's a physical button on the steering wheel but still stupid on a next gen level.

I love technology but it has to pass the common sense test. Time to bring back things that are practical and most importantly, safe for the driver and other users of the road.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I just got my new car, and it's really sad to see BMW, and Audi all use ugly screens instead of mechanical odometers. Especially BMW's one-piece panel the most ugly thing I've ever seen in a car.

Big part of the reason I bought my '20 GLI when I did was in no small part because the 21s went to all digital displays. I HATE them. Aside from eye strain, it takes my eyes a second to adjust to the screen brightness, whereas I can glance at a gauge and know EXACTLY how fast I am going.

Good! I'm tired of car dashboards looking like the bridge of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D).

At the very least they should look like Knight Rider's KITT if they want to be all technofuturistic.

 

[Nobina]

New cars are chock full of screens and while it looks nice it get's boring quite fast. Physical buttons and knobs are natural and that's why they can't be beaten. Car makers are out of ideas so they have to change things for the sake of novelty but they are getting worse.

Someone above already said it and it's so true: Car journalists will praise how old cars used to feel and how it was better back then but as soon as a new car doesn't have all the latest gimmicks it's mocked.

 

[mbk34]

I just got my new car, and it's really sad to see BMW, and Audi all use ugly screens instead of mechanical odometers. Especially BMW's one-piece panel the most ugly thing I've ever seen in a car.

I guess the manufacturer has a choice:

Do it mechanically where you route cables from a wheel to count rotations to turn the odometer - obviously if the cable snaps then you need to reroute the cable through the engine bay and attach it to the back of the dial. You'd also need to change the mechanical gearing in the dial if you use a different wheel size. Obviously the driver would also be stuck with whatever layout was installed unless they want to take the dashboard to pieces.

The other option is to use the electronic wheel rotation signal that's already available on the car's existing CAN bus wiring. That signal is already used by ABS, speed and any max speed limiter etc. CAN bus is a wired network within the car to pass signals that can then be displayed on the existing screen. Very few mechanical parts means all the "dials" in your car are far more reliable. Fewer parts also mean it's cheaper for the manufacturer to produce. It's also easier to maintain because there's far less wiring. The dials displayed can also be customised by the user so if they want to just see speed and mpg in blue then they can.

BMW has been using CAN bus since the mid 80's on their high end models. Audi since the early 2000's. In America, all cars since 2008, are legally required to have CAN bus.

 

[Disiw]

Touch is good IF DONE RIGHT which it rarely is (yet). However the steering wheel should have physical buttons for sure.

Touch screens in cars is beyond stupid. You have to take your eyes off the road to use them.

Not better than people use their phones as GPS which falls off during driving or placed in the driver FOV.

A big touchscreen is a must have in a new vehicle. GPS and info with a blink of an eye instead of small garbage devices falling off.

Most have head up displays as well.

 

[Bobbydpue]

One of the things that annoyed me the most over the last years was that car reviewers slammed every car that "didn't go with the times" because they had "ugly old fasioned buttons everywhere" and not a sleek looking tablet.
I applaud the proposal, but it should reach further. AC controls should be physical as well. Too many manufacturers hide them in menus where multiple touches and looking at a screen is required.

I'd argue I use infotainment controls more than anything. I don't adjust my AC controls nearly as often as I change songs.

 

[scavengerspc]

I'm not sure how this will be the cure all many claim it will be.
Except for the turn signals, of course. The wipers, hazard lights, emergency features and the horn are not exactly common use or often adjusted features.

Everything else can remain on the touch screen.