The Euro NCAP, the European entity that evaluates the safety of new vehicles, has announced that it will change some rules regarding the excessive use of digitalization in cars.
Therefore, starting in 2026, brands that want to achieve a maximum rating in Euro NCAP safety tests will have to use physical controls for some functions that are currently being replaced by digital controls often placed on touchscreen displays.
Among the physical controls that Euro NCAP wants to keep in cars are the turn signals, the traditional blinker, hazard lights, windshield wipers, as well as the emergency call button.
The Euro NCAP’s Strategic Development Director, Matthew Avery, has already explained that the decision announced aims to penalize car manufacturers that excessively use digitalization.
“The excessive use of touchscreen is an industry-wide problem, as almost all vehicle manufacturers have transferred key controls to central monitors, forcing drivers to take their eyes off the road and thereby increasing the risk of accidents due to distraction.”.
In this sense, the new Euro NCAP measures aim to curb the excessive use of ‘touchscreen’. “The new Euro NCAP tests, scheduled for 2026, will encourage manufacturers to use independent physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive way, which will limit the time when the driver’s eyes are not focused on the road and, in that sense, encourage safer driving,” concluded Matthew Avery.
