Are buttons and dials about to make a comeback?
Euro NCAP – Europe’s leading automotive safety industry body – has stated that from 2026 new guidance will be introduced over physical buttons and touchscreens.
In fact, key dashboard touchscreen functions will soon be changing, and physical switches will be required instead.
This is because the car manufacturers selling in Europe will need to have to physical buttons for certain actions in order to be granted the highest safety ratings.
From January 2026, indicators, hazard warning lights, windscreen wipers, horn, and any other safety features on the dashboard will have to be controlled by physical switches.
As long as the vehicle meets the other safety requirements, the vehicle will be granted Euro NCAP’s highest five star safety rating.
Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP, said: “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.”
Euro NCAP’s rules are not mandatory for manufacturers to follow, but the threat of losing points will likely impact the decisions of many of the leading brands in the years ahead.
What is Euro NCAP?
The European New Car Assessment Programme - or Euro NCAP - is an organisation that carries out safety tests on all makes and models of vehicles that are available in Europe.
They then provide a safety rating score that customers can check before purchasing a new vehicle.
It rates the car based on crash tests and other safety criteria, and has been a part of the industry since 1997.
Euro NCAP has played a crucial role in improving the safety standards of vehicles on the continent.
As an independent body, it is not influenced by the manufacturers, and its standardised tests are carried out on all vehicles in an equal manner.
Do you think this is a good decision for road safety? Are current touchscreens too much of a distraction for drivers? Leave your comments below.
Cheaper than AA Price Promise^
- Roadside cover from £5.29 a month*
- We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
- Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
*At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Roadside (Basic). ^T&Cs apply.
You might also like
Millennial motorists being driven to distraction
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D500%26quality%3D100%26crop%3D16%253A9%26gravity%3Dcenter&w=1920&q=75)
New laws could ban driver distractions in autonomous cars
Drivers across the United Kingdom should be banned from any activities deemed distracting when using self-driving vehicles, findings from a new study suggest.
Speeding and in-car distractions
The number of UK drivers who admit to breaking the speed limit has fallen on most roads dramatically this year, new RAC research reveals.
Could the UK be set for a new generation of speed camera technology?
Major updates to the speed cameras across the UK could come into force, which include new anti-braking technology. What does this mean for drivers?
New ‘AI’ speed camera with 4D radar technology can scan drivers inside a vehicle
The UK has seen the introduction of the world’s first AI speed camera which can scan drivers inside their cars if they are caught speeding.
Popular in News
1
Car buyers to save thousands as EV grant returns
2
Private parking companies issue a record 14.4m tickets to drivers in a single year
3
Drivers fined £1m from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024
4
Road deaths on the rise in Great Britain
5
Private parking industry urged to publish ‘full and transparent’ complaints and appeals data
6
Drivers now able to search for new home that comes with EV chargers
7
Leicester’s Sean Kimberlin named as RAC Mobile Mechanic of the Year
8
Number of drivers caught using unroadworthy vehicles jumps by 52% in a year
9
Warning to drivers across the UK over fake parking apps
10