Europe to Automakers: Buttons and knobs are safer than touchscreens

[OVERKILL]

Europe Tells Automakers That Buttons and Knobs Are Safer Than Touchscreens

European regulators have told automakers to ditch the touchscreens in favor of knobs and buttons if they want to get a better safety rating in the continent.

futurism.com

European regulators have told automakers to ditch the touchscreens in favor of knobs and buttons if they want to get a better safety rating.

As the Times reports, the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is warning that as of January 2026, automakers will have to include physical controls to achieve a full five-star safety rating.

The independent safety body is sending a strong signal, highlighting just how complex center control touchscreens have become and how they may distract drivers, forcing them to look away for extended periods of time.

Research has already found that tactile buttons are safer — and much faster to use — while driving.

"The overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with almost every vehicle-maker moving key controls onto central touchscreens," Euro NCAP director of strategic development Matthew Avery told the Times, "obliging drivers to take their eyes off the road and raising the risk of distraction crashes."

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It will be interesting to see how, if at all, this affects Uncle Elon's decision to remove the turn signal stock in favour of buttons on the wheel. While still physical controls, this departure from what has been the standard since forever has the potential to be factored-in here. @Trav

 

[redhat]

I'm surprised the turn signal stalk isn't a DOT requirement in the US at least. I mean thats a core driving function thats been the same for what... 90 years maybe?

 

[atikovi]

I'm surprised the turn signal stalk isn't a DOT requirement in the US at least.

Around here you would think it was optional equipment, and that nobody got it.

 

[Cujet]

With steer by wire, we can have a menu with pop up right and left buttons, what could possibly go wrong?

Menu driven stuff can be amazingly annoying if designed by Jaguar. On the other hand our Gulfstream jet has 8 cockpit touchscreens. Limited critical items are on the 3 overhead touch screens, and are easy access, easy use, mistake proof. Car manufacturers can do the same, place big, easy to understand virtual buttons in specific locations.

 

[wpod]

Indeed.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Menu driven stuff can be amazingly annoying if designed by Jaguar.

Slightly OT but I wrote an estimate years ago on older Jaguar with 1st gen voice navigation. No touch screen or map, just audio directions. IIRC there was no QWERTY keyboard, just a numeric keypad like on a phone. Programming it must have been a PITA.

As the Times reports, the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is warning that as of January 2026, automakers will have to include physical controls to achieve a full five-star safety rating.

Lets hope the NHSTA and IIHS adopts the same stance.

Our CR-V and Pilot have touch screen but its for audio selection and navigation, with a light delay sometimes it's annoying.

HVAC and speaker volume is tactile, so it's a pretty decent system overall. It better be a snappy and intuitive system to be 100% touch screen.

 

[HemiBenny]

One of the reasons that I like the Mazda that we purchased, there’s a physical button for everything. The only time the screen is touchscreen is when you’re using Apple CarPlay, even then, it isn’t necessary.

 

[edyvw]

It was in the making for some time. They indicated change two years ago, and the fact that Hyundai, Toyota etc. said that they will not give up physical buttons bcs. safety, was indicative where this is going.
Don’t be surprised if they go further in EU and simply make a sale stop on vehicles not having some of these features. I would say this is a warning shot to manufacturers.

 

[spackard]

One of the worst designs is reporting a road detour/closure in Waze.
You’re driving, trying to deal with a real situation, and Waze demands your full attention to mark up a map. Must have been designed while sitting at a desk.

 

[edyvw]

One of the worst designs is reporting a road detour/closure in Waze.
You’re driving, trying to deal with a real situation, and Waze demands your full attention to mark up a map. Must have been designed while sitting at a desk.

Modus operandi of companies that "know better" bcs. "progress." The problem comes when "progress" meets reality.

 

[nate379]

With steer by wire, we can have a menu with pop up right and left buttons, what could possibly go wrong?

Menu driven stuff can be amazingly annoying if designed by Jaguar. On the other hand our Gulfstream jet has 8 cockpit touchscreens. Limited critical items are on the 3 overhead touch screens, and are easy access, easy use, mistake proof. Car manufacturers can do the same, place big, easy to understand virtual buttons in specific locations.

Most of us driving clapped out junk and this guy driving a jet...

 

[Trav]

The phrase "just because you can does not mean you should" comes to mind when it come to these touch screens for all the critical functions. IMHO controls need to be standardized in function and location, no more putting the car in gear while looking at a screen or even worse have the thing guess when it should be in park while the thing goes through the garage and ends up in the pool.
This is absolute lunacy..

Tesla Model S will shift itself into drive or reverse by 'guessing,' says Musk

The updated Model S gets a strange new yoke-style steering wheel, but there's no real shifter to be found.

www.cnet.com

 

[edyvw]

The phrase "just because you can does not mean you should" comes to mind when it come to these touch screens for all the critical functions. IMHO controls need to be standardized in function and location, no more putting the car in gear while looking at a screen or even worse have the thing guess when it should be in park while the thing goes through the garage and ends up in the pool.
This is absolute lunacy..

Tesla Model S will shift itself into drive or reverse by 'guessing,' says Musk

The updated Model S gets a strange new yoke-style steering wheel, but there's no real shifter to be found.

www.cnet.com

This is the part where I start questioning buyers more then designers.

 

[Traction]

I completely agree. It used to be you could get in any car and figure everything out in seconds instead of spending minutes trying to figure anything out like even trying to open the door from inside with a dead battery that has killed people. And make the owner's manual only available on the touchscreen.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

One of the reasons that I like the Mazda that we purchased, there’s a physical button for everything. The only time the screen is touchscreen is when you’re using Apple CarPlay, even then, it isn’t necessary.

Controversial take: Mazdas’s system is best.

 

[redbone3]

Duh! Especially on a rental car!

 

[samven]

You could see this coming for at least 15 years or more since the old windshield mounted GPS. Trying to type an address or just hit the selection on a menu took your attention from the road and half the time the screen would not respond so you would have to do it a second time. Of course the warning was always to pull over before making any changes and that sounds good until you are in traffic and realize your lost with nowhere to pull off. We cant get people to stop texting while driving, you will never get them to pull over to adjust the volumn on the radio.

 

[HemiBenny]

Controversial take: Mazdas’s system is best.

Well, I’m finally used to it and can navigate it easily. My wife had it figured out quickly since it’s actually her daily driver.
I’ll still argue that the Chrysler’s UConnect, initially at least, is more user friendly.

 

[OVERKILL]

One of the reasons that I like the Mazda that we purchased, there’s a physical button for everything. The only time the screen is touchscreen is when you’re using Apple CarPlay, even then, it isn’t necessary.

Love that about our DT, even has physical buttons for seat and wheel heat. The Jeep has physical buttons for everything except those functions, which is a slight aggravation, but in the big scheme of things, not too bad.

 

[Zee09]

I drove my touchscreen VW today. Dangerous and inconvenient yup....
You have to pick your spots just to adjust the hvac controls...