More buttons, fewer screen functions in new cars will be required for high safety scores under new ANCAP tests

The implementation of screen controls for important functions in new cars - everything from climate control to indicators - has become an "industry-wide problem" that needs to be reversed, according to the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

As the equivalent to ANCAP here in Australia, Euro NCAP has significant influence over how safety features are implemented in new cars, and it's set to encourage - through new tests - car brands to keep physical controls for basic functions.

According to a report from The Times, NCAP plans to implement test requirements that would encourage cars to have five key functions accessible as easy physical buttons or controls: the horn, indicators, windscreen wipers, hazard lights and a call for SOS - a change that ANCAP here in Australia will also implement.

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ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg told CarsGuide the transition of some of these functions to screens raises the risk of crashes as they require drivers to take their eyes off the road.

"We know driver distraction is a growing factor in road crashes, so it is important that certain in-vehicle controls are easily accessible by the driver and don't complicate the driving task or contribute to in-car distraction or inattention," she said.

She says tests to be introduced in 2026 will require manufacturers to have the five functions previously mentioned accessible as a physical button.

The return to (better) physical controls in some cases has already begun, with Volkswagen reverting its decision to change its steering wheel controls to haptic pads rather than buttons.

"In line with our next planned step-change in protocols being introduced from 2026, ANCAP will discourage manufacturers from locating key vehicle controls such as indicators, hazard lights, horn and windscreen wipers within touch screens."

"Physical buttons or stalks to operate these key vehicle controls will be encouraged through scoring, with manufacturers awarded points for the prioritisation of physical controls."

ANCAP specified that, despite some reports from Europe, the features will not be required for a five-star rating, but "they will be encouraged and contribute five points to a vehicle's overall score".

The new requirements from NCAP aim to prevent car makers from moving even more functionality to a touchscreen.

New cars have been migrating functions like climate and radio controls to the central multimedia touchscreen for some time, most notably Tesla and recently Volkswagen, but the new requirements from NCAP aim to prevent car makers from moving even more functionality to a touchscreen.

The return to (better) physical controls in some cases has already begun, with Volkswagen reverting its decision to change its steering wheel controls to haptic pads rather than buttons after negative feedback for both this and its move to put some of its climate controls into its multimedia screen.

Tesla has also been criticised for moving its 'gear shift' column to a touchscreen function.