Return to Physical Buttons in Cars: An Important Step for Safety

According to a recent study, drivers spend four times more time adjusting in-car functions using touchscreens compared to physical control buttons. This difference is not just about user convenience — it directly affects driving safety.

In response, the European safety rating agency Euro NCAP announced that starting in 2026, vehicles without certain critical physical control buttons will no longer be eligible for a 5-star safety rating.

Integrating all necessary buttons into a vehicle is estimated to cost manufacturers around $100 per car. However, it is reported that some Chinese automakers have already begun rapidly reintroducing physical buttons in response to these developments.

For many experts who have long been critical of the trend toward controlling everything via touchscreens, this shift is seen as a major gain for road safety.