A lot of us don’t like how buttons are being taken out of cars and replaced with touch-sensitive screens and controls. These physical inputs are going away because they are expensive for cars, which is not a surprise. Button fans know that you can feel for buttons and find them without taking your eyes off the road. That clearly makes things safer, and it looks like European regulators will start to notice it in about two years. So, in order to get the best safety rating from the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), manufacturers will have to include the fewest physical inputs possible for key tasks. Before we go too far, the guidelines don’t say that controls that are often changed, like those for the HVAC system or simple media functions, have to be used with a touchscreen. In this case, Euro NCAP is focused mostly on functions that are important for safety. The Times of London told The Verge that “cars will have to use buttons, dials, or stalks for the horn, alert lights, windshield wipers, SOS calls, and hazard lights.” Luckily, I don’t remember having to use capacitive inputs for any of those tools while I was driving. This is a start, but it’s a small change that most of us would like to see. Naturally, Tesla is known for its turn signs that can be activated by touch. However, most people find these annoying. This measure will also make the world’s most famous EV safer to drive for everyone else on the road. That’s fine with me. It is very important to know that the Euro NCAP system is not required by law and can be chosen by anyone. In this way, it’s like the tests that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does in the US. Still, many automakers like to brag about their good IIHS scores because the IIHS has much stricter rules than our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, whose rules are buried in decades-old laws. Also, changes made for other areas will probably be brought to ours as well to avoid spending the same amount of money twice. You could use a turn signal stick that was made for a certain market instead. In other words, only if you have a logical problem with common sense. Some people may not feel better right away, but this method works. At the same time, many automakers are trying to regain angry customers by adding buttons and other physical controls to their cars. Volkswagen is replacing the annoying Mk8 steering wheel with a steering wheel that only works with hard keys on the new GTI and Golf R. The Mk8 steering wheel is fully touch-sensitive. Hyundai has also said it will stand up for what’s right. Check to see if other big sports teams do the same.
