Euro NCAP rules for safety ratings will change in 2026, due to safety concerns over the steady loss of buttons, etc for controls. Each "essential" item with no physical button / stalk / switch will result in a downgrading of the cars safety. Could see M3H dropped from 5 stars to 4 or even 3 in its current form....
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Stalkless....until 2026 anyway!
- Thread starter Cilonen
- Start date
Highland has buttons for all of those except eCall SOS.
Doesn’t it say must use buttons, stalk or dials? Highland indicators would OK in that case
I think the caption for the picture sums it up for me in the lack of research when they refer to the car as the "type y"
wowzer
wowzer
I believe the Y originally had piano black when launched in USA
It’s about not using the touchscreen for what are considered essential controls as research suggests using touchscreens can be distracting. Its doesn’t specify anything further than having physical switches for the controls listed in the article, so I don’t think Tesla will need to bring back stalks. There’s more detail in this Sunday Times article Driving
Not sure I even agree about the ecall/999 button needing to be physical. Not sure id call that an essential control given >99% of drivers are never going to use it.
The hazard lights being a dedicated physical button is already a legal requirement. Likewise the horn.
Where Tesla falls down on the above is the wiper controls, they are done via the screen. I don’t think the washer and a single wipe being on a button doesn’t really cover wiper controls sufficiently.
Edit: I guess it could be argued they are buttons because you press it and then use the scroll wheel but it’s quite complex compared to a stalk IMO, particularly because you have no idea what the setting is without looking at the screen.
The hazard lights being a dedicated physical button is already a legal requirement. Likewise the horn.
Where Tesla falls down on the above is the wiper controls, they are done via the screen. I don’t think the washer and a single wipe being on a button doesn’t really cover wiper controls sufficiently.
Edit: I guess it could be argued they are buttons because you press it and then use the scroll wheel but it’s quite complex compared to a stalk IMO, particularly because you have no idea what the setting is without looking at the screen.
I found this https://cdn.euroncap.com/media/74468/euro-ncap-roadmap-vision-2030.pdf quite interesting to see the direction they are taking.
Constantly seen in social media comments "How is it that I can't touch my phone but it's legal to go into submenus to achieve simple tasks?"
A: Well, you can touch your phone in a mount so what was the rest of your question? Ah yes, everything that's important in the car is automatic, what do you believe it is that i'm constantly having to do with the screen? Wipers: automatic (yeah yeah shush
), Lights: automatic, Nav: set before departure, Climate control: automatic, Seat, mirrors, steering wheel: automatic by profile... so what...exactly is it that you think i'm constantly doing?...
Never hear from them again. I've pretty much given up on trying to explain to people who have no interest in listening.
Caveat: Not all user interfaces are the same, not all EV's are the same but given that I swap between several cars, all with different physical controls, buttons are no more the answer than not.
A: Well, you can touch your phone in a mount so what was the rest of your question? Ah yes, everything that's important in the car is automatic, what do you believe it is that i'm constantly having to do with the screen? Wipers: automatic (yeah yeah shush
), Lights: automatic, Nav: set before departure, Climate control: automatic, Seat, mirrors, steering wheel: automatic by profile... so what...exactly is it that you think i'm constantly doing?...Never hear from them again. I've pretty much given up on trying to explain to people who have no interest in listening.
Caveat: Not all user interfaces are the same, not all EV's are the same but given that I swap between several cars, all with different physical controls, buttons are no more the answer than not.
I test drove a Toyota BZ4x, it is a very nice car to drive anlthough efficiency wasn’t great. Steering wheel had 18 buttons on it plus a 2 way rocker, wheel is mounted quite low as well due to speed/info display being mounted high up, can’t possibly learn where they are by touch, don’t think buttons are always the answer
rincewind
Member
Lifted from that link above: Key will be the shift from encouraging “advisory” systems
only to “intervention” systems that actively reduce the
speed, while maintaining driver acceptance.
only to “intervention” systems that actively reduce the
speed, while maintaining driver acceptance.
I didn't see anything that really affects any current car. I'd see this more as a "this far and no further". The Highlands have buttons which would seem the meet the requirements.
There are a few things which are decidedly awkward on the touchscreen, for example defrost and defog are in sub menus, and temperature selection needs some fine control to adjust, even if it is only the main page.
Even if the rules did require stalks, I can see Tesla accepting the loss of a star, I don't think there would be a meaningful reduction in sales
There are a few things which are decidedly awkward on the touchscreen, for example defrost and defog are in sub menus, and temperature selection needs some fine control to adjust, even if it is only the main page.
Even if the rules did require stalks, I can see Tesla accepting the loss of a star, I don't think there would be a meaningful reduction in sales
shahryaran
Member
Actually no.
You won't get the 6 points offence of holding a mobile phone whilst driving, but you can still be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention, or for not being in proper control of the vehicle, if you are being distracted by typing the destination in the satnav for instance. Same if you're fiddling with the submenus and not paying attention to your surroundings... It can be the same number of penalty points & fine if not more..
Granted, that's the pedantry part of it but that's a very catch all offence, extending to examples such as eating an apple and being chased by helicopter for evidence for prosecution purposes. The key word you have there is "IF". My point was that the general simpletons request is to ask why they can't touch their phone but can use the touch screen. The answer is that they aren't prevented from touching their mounted phone but it seems they don't understand or can't understand the difference between a mounted phone and a hand held one. The legislation is clear about that part.
Agreed on the law. The fun part is actually, studies shows that interacting with fixed infotainment screens such as CarPlay is actually worse in terms of driver safety & reaction time than a hand held mobile phone... Larger ban on touchscreens incoming?
Zilla91
Active Member
I hope so, they’re bloody dangerous. A rotary dial like you used to get is a much safer way to interact with an infotainment system
