European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) doesn’t like where automotive design is headed. And now, it’s doing something about it.
Physical controls will need to make a comeback if car makers want to earn maximum safety ratings from Euro NCAP (of which the UK’s Thatcham Research and Horiba MIRA are both members) for their cars. The new rules, stated to come into effect in January 2026, will downgrade the safety rating and deduct 5 points from vehicles that don't have buttons, stalks, or dials for the following functions: turn signals, hazard lights, horn, windscreen wipers, and emergency call.
Euro NCAP's director of strategic development Matthew Avery explains why the decision has been taken to penalize automakers that make drivers rely almost exclusively on screens: "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. 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."
It is a safety concern, since you're forced to take your eyes off the road and navigate through the many submenus of a modern infotainment system. Buttons and knobs, on the other hand, are always in familiar spots on the dashboard. A study showed that drivers using in-vehicle technologies such as voice-based and touch screen features were visually and mentally distracted for more than 40 seconds when completing tasks. According to its research, removing eyes from the road for just two seconds doubles the risk of a crash.
As good as the news might seem, it's important to note Euro NCAP can't effectively force automakers that sell cars in Europe to bring back regular controls. It's an independent crash test body, so it can't mandate companies to revert to buttons and knobs. Such a decision would have to come from the European Union.
Nevertheless, we reckon all car manufacturers are keen on achieving maximum five-star ratings, so they'll do their best to comply with the new regulations. Ideally, the list will grow beyond those five requirements planned for 2026.
In an interview with Automotive News Europe at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2023, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said he's "absolutely convinced" huge screens will be outlawed in a decade or so: "In 10 years, they are gone. Probably the regulator will not allow it." He went on to add "If you have to look down to operate your car, we think it's a big mistake." It remains to be seen whether that will happen or not, but Euro NCAP's new legislation is a step in the right direction.
Tesla could be one carmaker most at risk of losing out on a top safety rating. The Tesla Model 3 saloon currently has a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with an impressive 96 per cent score for protecting adult occupants in a crash. However, the latest version of the Model 3 dispenses with steering column stalks completely, with indicators controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. Functions such as selecting drive and reverse, adjusting door mirrors and climate control airflow are adjusted via the 15in touchscreen in the centre of the dash, which also doubles as the speedometer and instrument panel.
Ed: Those of you who have been readers of this newsletter for the last few years will know my views on this subject. This has been far too late in coming, the Tesla Model 3 described above shows just how far manufacturers have pushed this technology to the limit. It is far cheaper to put a few lines of code into a touchscreen than to use physical controls which have to be safety assessed. At last they will be forced to use technology safely.