--- title: "Good News: Cars Will Need Buttons to Get Perfect Safety Ratings in Europe" description: "Europe's NCAP safety testing will require buttons, dials, or stalks for critical functions like turn signals to award five-star ratings." date: "2024-03-05" modified: "2024-03-05" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/good-news-cars-will-need-buttons-to-get-perfect-safety-ratings-in-europe" categories: - "Car Tech" - "News" --- # Good News: Cars Will Need Buttons to Get Perfect Safety Ratings in Europe ![]() *\Tesla\* Many of us lament the disappearance of buttons in car interiors, in favor of screens and touch-sensitive controls. For automakers, these physical inputs cost money, so it's no secret why they're largely disappearing. Those of us who appreciate buttons know they're convenient to find just by feel, without averting your attention from the road. [That's an obvious boon to safety](), and it seems that in about two years, European evaluators will start treating it as such. For manufacturers to receive the best possible European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety rating from that point on, they'll need to incorporate a minimum of physical inputs for key functions. Before we get ahead of ourselves, there's unfortunately nothing in the criteria that stipulates that frequently adjusted controls, like those for the HVAC system or basic media functions, must happen off a touchscreen. Here, Euro NCAP seems primarily concerned with safety-critical functions. As *[The Verge]()* quotes from *The Times* of London, "cars will need to use buttons, dials, or stalks for hazard warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS calls, and the horn." Fortunately, I can't remember the last time I drove a car that relied upon capacitive inputs for any of those things. It's not the sweeping change most of us would prefer, but it's a start. Of course, [Tesla]() is famous for relegating turn signals to touch-sensitive operation, which [most people seem to hate](). If this move makes the world's most popular EV a little easier to operate for those behind the wheel, that'll also make it safer for the rest of us on the road. Personally, I'm OK with that. ![]() *The 2025 Volkswagen GTI's updated interior features hard buttons on the steering wheel. Volkswagen* Now, it's worth mentioning that the Euro NCAP regime is totally voluntary, and not compulsory by law. In that sense, it's sort of like the testing conducted by the [Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]() here in the U.S. That said, plenty of automakers love to advertise their IIHS marks when they're favorable, especially as the IIHS has much more stringent criteria than our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, whose regulations are mired in decades-old legislation. And it stands to reason that adjustments made for other regions will likely trickle over to our own, when possible, to avoid duplication of expense. When you've already engineered a turn signal stalk, why ditch it for particular markets? Unless you have [a philosophical objection to common sense](), that is. This step may not fix modern automotive interiors overnight, but it also won't hurt. It happens to mirror many car companies' own initiatives to reintroduce buttons and physical inputs back into their cars, to win back frustrated customers. [Volkswagen is doing it with the new GTI]() and Golf R, swapping out the annoying Mk8 steering wheel with its fully touch-sensitive controls for one that is all hard keys. Hyundai, too, has [vowed to fight the good fight](). Let's see other major players do the same. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()