Carmakers are equipping their latest models with fancy touchscreens, but that could cause problems with Europe’s largest car safety authority.

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is revamping its rating system starting Jan. 1, 2026 to mandate that five of a car’s primary controls — its horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard warning lights and SOS features — will need physical buttons or switches.

Car models will have to comply to get NCAP’s coveted five-star rating. The scheme is voluntary but is heeded by most automakers because it’s closely monitored by consumers.

Belgium-based NCAP says that purely digital controls are a potential safety issue.

  • Bipta@kbin.social
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    7 months ago

    Using your phone while driving is illegal, so we made all the controls on the same technology.

    Genius. About time it’s banned.

    • pete_the_cat@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      My favorite is the warning to not look at the screen, which you have to acknowledge to get it to go away.

    • zaphod@feddit.de
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      7 months ago

      To be fair, using phones while driving was banned in most countries back when phones still had physical buttons.

      • golli@lemm.ee
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        7 months ago

        And the swap from physical buttons, which you can use by feel and that never change their location, to touch controls made this less of an issue?