Euro crash tester says carmakers must return to physical controls - Impact on Australia?

[positiv]

The European crash testing association (Euro NCAP) have announced that they will be deducting points if some certain controls aren't physical. These include turn signals, wipers, horn etc. The reason being is they feel that touchscreens oblige drivers to take their eyes off the road and increase the risk of 'distraction crashes'.
This is particularly relevant here in Australia because our ANCAP uses the Euro NCAP testing protocols.
Tesla is perhaps at greatest risk from this, having relied on touchscreens extensively and having recently ditched physical stalks in certain model revisions.

What impact do you think this will have on Australian delivered Teslas?
Do you think Tesla will customise the interior to suit these testing changes?

European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

In 2026, Euro NCAP points will be deducted if some controls aren't physical.

arstechnica.com

 

[evpaddie]

The European crash testing association (Euro NCAP) have announced that they will be deducting points if some certain controls aren't physical. These include turn signals, wipers, horn etc. The reason being is they feel that touchscreens oblige drivers to take their eyes off the road and increase the risk of 'distraction crashes'.
This is particularly relevant here in Australia because our ANCAP uses the Euro NCAP testing protocols.
Tesla is perhaps at greatest risk from this, having relied on touchscreens extensively and having recently ditched physical stalks in certain model revisions.

What impact do you think this will have on Australian delivered Teslas?
Do you think Tesla will customise the interior to suit these testing changes?

European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

In 2026, Euro NCAP points will be deducted if some controls aren't physical.

arstechnica.com

Unfortunately, I'm certain that Elon will refuse to retool for NCAP. Tesla owners and buyers will convince themselves that Elon knows what is best for them, and that a 4 star Tesla is safer than a 5 star NCAP car. Personally, I don't see why we have adjust to a system, that is inferior and less safe to steering wheel stalks, just to meet Elon's cost cutting measures.

 

[dronus]

The European crash testing association (Euro NCAP) have announced that they will be deducting points if some certain controls aren't physical. These include turn signals, wipers, horn etc. The reason being is they feel that touchscreens oblige drivers to take their eyes off the road and increase the risk of 'distraction crashes'.
This is particularly relevant here in Australia because our ANCAP uses the Euro NCAP testing protocols.
Tesla is perhaps at greatest risk from this, having relied on touchscreens extensively and having recently ditched physical stalks in certain model revisions.

What impact do you think this will have on Australian delivered Teslas?
Do you think Tesla will customise the interior to suit these testing changes?

European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

In 2026, Euro NCAP points will be deducted if some controls aren't physical.

arstechnica.com

Or someone will just tell them to pull their head in.

Show the evidence that physical controls cause less crashes than touch controls.

"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, Euro NCAP's director of strategic development.

Industry wide problem how?

"New Euro NCAP tests due in 2026 will encourage manufacturers to use separate, physical controls for basic functions in an intuitive manner, limiting eyes-off-road time and therefore promoting safer driving," he said.

Does looking at/for a physical button or switch not take your eyes off the road?

In regards to turn signals: A button on the steering wheel is a physical control so im not sure what they are talking about, its not on the control screen.

"Tesla is probably at greatest risk here, having recently ditched physical stalks that instead move the turn signal functions to haptic buttons on the steering wheel."

Or NCAP just received a brown paper bag full of money from some company..

 

[zoomer0056]

These include turn signals, wipers, horn etc.

Yeah, but none of those controls are on a Tesla touch screen.

 

[dronus]

Yeah, but none of those controls are on a Tesla touch screen.

Correct, it smells like an uneducated and poorly written article.
Interesting the amount of embedded advertising inside it too, for giggle see where they go

 

[dronus]

Also, have a look on seek what a "Director of strategic development" role generally is.

Its all moot anyway. The controls they are referring to, specifically for Tesla for some reason, are not on the touch screen.

 

[Max Spaghetti]

Its all moot anyway. The controls they are referring to, specifically for Tesla for some reason, are not on the touch screen.

The wipers are (for speed adjustment when AUTO doesn't work). Even if using the left scroll wheel one needs to look at the screen for the feedback.

The gear selector is (for Highland models).

 

[dronus]

The wipers are (for speed adjustment when AUTO doesn't work). Even if using the left scroll wheel one needs to look at the screen for the feedback.

The gear selector is (for Highland models).

Ohh i was just going by the article so windscreen wipers, i guess.

“Now, Euro NCAP is not insisting on everything being its own button or switch. But the organization wants to see physical controls for turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and any SOS features like the European Union's eCall feature.”

 

[Deftly]

The wipers are (for speed adjustment when AUTO doesn't work). Even if using the left scroll wheel one needs to look at the screen for the feedback.

The gear selector is (for Highland models).

Gear selector is also physical on the overhead area on Highland.

And all the others are physical buttons on the steering wheel too for Highland.

 

[dronus]

The wipers are (for speed adjustment when AUTO doesn't work). Even if using the left scroll wheel one needs to look at the screen for the feedback.

The gear selector is (for Highland models).

I just checked and the wiper button on the steering wheel does activate the wiper, and you can scroll the wheel to change its speed so you dont have to touch the screen.

Gear selector is physical also (just in front of rear view mirror)

 

[Zoltrix77]

I just checked and the wiper button on the steering wheel does activate the wiper, and you can scroll the wheel to change its speed so you dont have to touch the screen.

Gear selector is physical also (just in front of rear view mirror)

But you have to look at the screen to get feedback of its setting.

 

[Jules22]

But you have to look at the screen to get feedback of its setting.

Do you though?

Do you look at the stalk in an ICE vehicle when you click backwards and forwards for wiper speed? I think the fact you move the scroll wheel left or right, you know you are going one step up or down. You don't necessarily have to look at the screen any more than you'd need to look at the stalk to see what speed you have put the wipers on in an ICE vehicle.

 

[paulp]

Do you though?

Do you look at the stalk in an ICE vehicle when you click backwards and forwards for wiper speed? I think the fact you move the scroll wheel left or right, you know you are going one step up or down. You don't necessarily have to look at the screen any more than you'd need to look at the stalk to see what speed you have put the wipers on in an ICE vehicle.

There are lots of stupid laws (based on opinion) in Australia presumably to help those that need help. Some of them are seriously frustrating. I dont think I have ever looked at what direction my selector says it is in (unless it will not move) but groups such as elderly, learners, new car owners, and car hirers probably do.
But hey lets go back to T selectors and look down completely off the road for the same group to see what gear they are in.
Ancap should instead be leaving it to manufacturers to demonstrate that any design choice is no less safe.

 

[dronus]

But you have to look at the screen to get feedback of its setting.

looking at the stalk to get feedback of its setting would probably be just as distracting, if not more so.

You can get feed back on its setting by looking out the windscreen haha

 

[Jules22]

There are lots of stupid laws (based on opinion) in Australia presumably to help those that need help. Some of them are seriously frustrating. I dont think I have ever looked at what direction my selector says it is in (unless it will not move) but groups such as elderly, learners, new car owners, and car hirers probably do.
But hey lets go back to T selectors and look down completely off the road for the same group to see what gear they are in.
Ancap should instead be leaving it to manufacturers to demonstrate that any design choice is no less safe.

Very true and agree

 

[spacecoin]

Reminder: EuroNCAP is a private safety ratings company and doesn't make laws.

EuroNCAP encourage safe design of cars, and functions like wipers, turn signals and horn are safety critical imho and should be intuitive and easy to use in a high-stress situation.

Having these functions on a touch screen or on stupidly designed touch buttons on non-standard and rotating places is just less safe in most situations.

 

[MP3Mike]

“Now, Euro NCAP is not insisting on everything being its own button or switch. But the organization wants to see physical controls for turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and any SOS features like the European Union's eCall feature.”

Does anyone know of a vehicle that put one, or more, of those controls on the touch screen? (Yeah, I know Tesla has the wiper control both in physical controls and touch screen.)

 

[dronus]

Does anyone know of a vehicle that put one, or more, of those controls on the touch screen? (Yeah, I know Tesla has the wiper control both in physical controls and touch screen.)

I dont know of any personally. Any i can think of still have some physical component.

it is curious that the article says “encourages manufacturers to…”

but then only mentions one manufacturer in that “"Tesla is probably at greatest risk here”. For using buttons on the steering wheel… not even mentioning the touch screen..

So what is the point of the article?
If you breezed over it, or already had a bee in your bonnet about EVs its generic unsubstantiated fuel for the fire.

Unless someone points out the facts, it all seems plausible but lets not let facts get in the way of a good story

 

[Jules22]

So what is the point of the article?
If you breezed over it, or already had a bee in your bonnet about EVs its generic unsubstantiated fuel for the fire.

That right there is the point of the article most likely. FUD generates clicks.

 

[dronus]

That right there is the point of the article most likely. FUD generates clicks.

It just makes them less credible as a source of information in the long run. Short term gain, long term pain.
Unless they are relying on us having the memory of goldfish (if thats even a thing, who knows) haha