- Automakers face 2026 safety standard
- Touchscreens distract, reduce vehicle rating
- Euro NCAP to penalize complex controls
The introduction of novel safety standards in 2026 will compel automakers to reduce the complexity of touchscreen systems, which can be distracting for mobile drivers.
Regulations to be implemented by crash testing organization Euro NCAP in January 2026 will reduce safety ratings for newly manufactured vehicles lacking dashboard buttons for essential functions like activating hazard warning lamps and indicating them.
Today, automobile manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo offer more extensive, more sophisticated touchscreens with more embedded controls that are difficult to operate while traveling.
This reportedly ” undermines” the ban on using a phone while driving, which went into effect in March 2022 and imposes a £200 fine and six penalty points on the license of motorists caught by police or roadside cameras while operating a phone. If caught within two years of passing their test, the fine could result in the revocation of their license.
Road safety specialists have cautioned for years that the most recent automobiles pose an ever-increasing risk of distraction.
The increasing tendency among automakers to substitute conventional push-button controls, switches, and dials with sizable touchscreens resembling those found on computers and tablets has contributed to this development.
These are adored by designers because, in their opinion, they eliminate “clutter” from the interface, thereby creating a clean, minimalist aesthetic.
Additionally, industry insiders favor this configuration due to its cost-effectiveness, which is achieved through the substitution of wiring and switches with an interface resembling an iPad operated via downloadable software.
Touchscreen Distractions Compromise Safety
Consequently, motorists are compelled to engage more frequently with a touchscreen system situated to the left of the steering wheel, thereby necessitating the aversion of their gaze from the road.
For example, the electric Tesla Model 3 lacks a conventional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, which would otherwise provide drivers with information such as speed, remaining battery range, and satellite navigation turn instructions. Furthermore, it lacks a head-up display, which would have projected this data onto the windscreen to enable the driver to perceive it without diverting their attention from the road.
Conversely, proprietors must avert their gaze toward the 15.4-inch landscape display centrally within the cabin.
This starkly contrasts the Hyperscreen, the largest display offered by Mercedes-Benz, which encompasses the entire dashboard of its high-end electric models and measures 55.5 inches in width.
Volkswagen, which has recently been criticized for its subpar infotainment systems (including slider controls for the volume and temperature settings that are not backlit and therefore extremely difficult to locate at night) and continues to incorporate simple controls into its complex touchscreen systems, continues to do so.
Instead of traditional vents that disseminate hot and cold air to passengers, the new ID.7 electric saloon driver must manipulate the airflow intensity and direction via a touch screen.
Even Volvo, an automotive brand synonymous with safety for decades, is involved.
A sub-menu must be accessed via the touchscreen of the new EX30 EV for the driver to adjust the electric reflectors and the rear window de-mister.
However, only some automakers are proceeding in the same trajectory.
Mazda has chosen to equip its new variants with conventional controls.
Furthermore, the Japanese brand is anticipated to achieve the highest scores in the forthcoming safety assessments conducted by Euro NCAP in 2026.
As per regulatory guidelines, a vehicle is limited to five stars in crash test ratings and must be equipped with fundamental control mechanisms such as stalks, dials, or buttons that execute five crucial functions: direction indication, hazard light activation, horn sounding, windscreen wiper operation, and eCall SOS activation, which initiates an automated call to emergency services in the event of a severe collision.
While compliance with safety regulations is not obligatory, automakers strive for exceptional ratings to enhance the attractiveness of their vehicles to consumers; any rating below five stars can negatively affect sales.
In conjunction with several safety advocates, Euro NCAP is becoming progressively irritated by the distracting attributes of contemporary infotainment systems. Many of these systems feature sub-menus that demand significant concentration and effort to navigate while expecting the operator to maintain safe control of the vehicle.
They are concerned that, for the same reason, this undermines the government’s recent efforts to prohibit mobile phone use while driving.
The Times quoted Euro NCAP’s director of strategic development, Matthew Avery, as saying, “The excessive use of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with nearly every automaker migrating key controls to central touchscreens, requiring drivers to remove their gaze from the road and increasing the risk of distraction crashes.”
“New Euro NCAP tests scheduled for 2026 will encourage automakers to implement intuitively designed, separate physical controls for fundamental functions, thereby reducing the time drivers are away from the road and promoting safer driving.”
Safety is the “utmost priority” of the automotive industry, according to Mike Hawes, chief executive officer of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the trade organization representing automakers. However, each automaker has “their own unique strategy for designing in-car controls.”
Additionally, he stated that automakers are equipping vehicles with cutting-edge voice-activation systems that allow drivers to make basic adjustments without removing their gaze from the road.
Industry analyst John Griffiths, commenting on the newest infotainment systems in automobiles, stated, “Touchscreens and their ever-more-complicated and excessive menus are a minor distraction compared to smartphones.”
Distraction is a growing contributor to fatalities on the road.
A 10% increase in road fatalities in the United Kingdom has prompted concerns regarding the expansive adoption of touchscreens.
Approximately 1,711 people were killed in road accidents in 2022, an increase from the 1,558 fatalities the previous year, according to the most recent update from the Department of Transport. It was stated that the increase was due to normal traffic levels returning following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to experts, accidents involving drivers who were speeding, impaired, or preoccupied also contributed to the increase. These factors collectively reached their highest levels in nearly a decade, serving as a “chilling” reminder that further measures are needed to reduce the number of road casualties in the United Kingdom.
Leading motoring authorities are so concerned that the AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety trustees have mentioned it as a concern.
AA President Edmund King applauds the new Euro NCAP tests, noting that he recently evaluated the compartment layout of a Tesla Model 3 and found it “extremely intimidating.”
He stated, “There is no issue with utilizing a touchscreen.” However, this only applies to instructions critical for the motorist, such as adjusting the mirrors or windscreen wipers.
Intuitive Controls Versus Distracted Driving
“Such controls must be unobtrusive and intuitive.” You should be able to locate them without accessing a screen menu.
“A driver can adjust controls on a dial or knob with their fingertips while maintaining their gaze on the road ahead,” he continued. It can be described as intuitive.
The situation differs significantly when utilizing a touchscreen. Further investigation will be conducted on this matter.
In July of this year, legislation is anticipated to be implemented in Europe (and Britain) to mandate the use of in-cabin monitoring systems in newly introduced models. These are capable of identifying distracted drivers.
At or above 30 mph, the motorist is alerted with a beep if their eyes deviate from the road for a duration exceeding 3.5 seconds; at or below 30 mph, the delay is limited to six seconds. This is determined through the use of eye-monitoring technology and head-tracking systems.
Attention will be determined by analyzing the driver’s facial and ocular movements with in-vehicle cameras; some models will employ artificial intelligence.
Beginning in July 2026, the regulation will apply to all newly registered vehicles, not just freshly introduced models.
The new technology was introduced in response to a January report by the European Road Safety Observatory, which found that drivers engaged in distracting activities for approximately half the time behind the wheel.
The study identified the following primary causes: mobile phone usage, infotainment system adjustments, passenger interaction, and dining.
As of July 2022, speed limiters, also called mandatory Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems, will be standard equipment on all new cars sold in the European Union.
The speed-limiting systems identify the legal limit using cameras, GPS, and satellite navigation and alert drivers to reduce their speed; if they fail, the vehicle may reduce engine power.
However, the British government has not imposed this requirement on vehicles sold in the country in 2022.
Drivers can manually circumvent the systems, just as they can adjust the optional speed limits available on most new automobiles.
