Car makers in Europe will be encouraged to reduce the use of touchscreens for basic functions to get a five star Euro NCAP rating. The European New Car Assessment Program is an independent safety organisation, that gives cars a rating based on safety. The new rules will be introduced in January 2026 and will require cars to have physical controls for basic functions including indicators and wipers, in a bid to promote safer driving.
Euro NCAP testing is voluntary but is widely supported by EU governments. Companies including Volvo, Volkswagen, and BMW use the five star rating to promote the safety of their cars to potential buyers.
“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,” Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP, told The Times.
For a car to be eligible for the maximum safety rating, buttons, dials, or stalks must be used for the hazard warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS emergency calls, and the horn.
Some brands, including Tesla, Mercedes, and Volkswagen have replaced many basic vehicle controls behind touch-sensitive interfaces. Many people have companied about these but car manufacturers do this because they are cheaper than physical controls.
The safety guidelines are not a legal requirement but manufacturers take its rating very seriously. “As this work is in progress, we have not yet finalized the evaluation procedure,” Avery told the Verge. “However, it is our intention to adopt these new requirements in 2026 as stated and the vehicle manufacturers are aware and are in support of the initiative.”
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