Tesla shareholders and the Musk will hate this move: NCAP, the independent safety body for the automotive industry creating the rules for the NCAP stars, will introduce a change starting with 2026. For full five-star rating it will then require cars to have physical controls for a certain set of major functionality!
“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,” said
Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP, to the
Times. To be eligible for the maximum safety rating after the new testing guidelines go into effect, cars will need to use buttons, dials, or stalks for hazard warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS calls, and the horn.
Best about it the NCAP is no governmental body, but a private institution. So this is no law, but a voluntary standard they are creating, but one with big reputation, so many car makers want to get as much stars as possible.
Euro NCAP will release new testing guidelines in 2026.
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