From 2026 EURO NCAP tests will not give a car five stars if it is too reliant on touch screen for a range of basic controls. The efforts to get drivers away from their mobile phones is being undermined by the distraction of having to use a touch screen to perform basic driving functions. The latest VW ID7 requires the driver to go into a sub menu to adjust mirrors or turn rear screen heater on. Distraction is increasingly seen as a growing source of accidents.
Here are the outline functions to be controlled by tactile methods. Not saying anything about voice control of basic functions. But the problem there is there are no common standards for the instruction phrases, so changing cars, using hire cars etc can be different in their control phrases.
Under the rules, a vehicle can only score a maximum five-star crash test rating if it has basic control buttons, stalks or dials for five critical tasks: indicating directions, triggering hazard lights, sounding the horn, operating windscreen wipers and activating the eCall SOS function, which automatically calls the emergency services in the event of a serious collision.
Here are the outline functions to be controlled by tactile methods. Not saying anything about voice control of basic functions. But the problem there is there are no common standards for the instruction phrases, so changing cars, using hire cars etc can be different in their control phrases.
Under the rules, a vehicle can only score a maximum five-star crash test rating if it has basic control buttons, stalks or dials for five critical tasks: indicating directions, triggering hazard lights, sounding the horn, operating windscreen wipers and activating the eCall SOS function, which automatically calls the emergency services in the event of a serious collision.