Euro NCAP is raising concerns about the exclusive use of touchscreens for car functions, which were previously manually controlled, and is highlighting the need for changes by 2026.
“Overuse of touchscreens is a problem that affects the entire automotive industry. Almost every car manufacturer is moving key controls to central touchscreens, which makes it necessary for drivers to take their attention off the road. This increases the risk of accidents due to loss of attention,” said Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP director, on the development strategy.
Read more: Tesla: Higher accident rate despite Autopilot support
“Future Euro NCAP tests due in 2026 are expected to encourage manufacturers to also use physical controls for key car functions . This will reduce the amount of time a driver is distracted and promote safer driving,” he said. Euro NCAP no longer requires all controls to be physical. However, it does want physical controls for the indicators, hazard lights, wipers, horn, and any SOS functions, such as the European Union’s eCall, to be included. Tesla is likely at greatest risk, having recently laid off staff managing the indicator functions and moved those functions to tactile buttons on the steering wheel. ( Ferrari also has indicator functions on the steering wheel, but they are not included in Euro NCAP’s database, so they probably don’t care.)
Euro NCAP is not a government body, so it does not have the authority to force automakers to use physical testing for these features. However, Euro NCAP's five-star safety is a strong factor, similar to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick program in the US.
Source: arstechnica
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