Photo: Tesla
Tesla has simplified the car cockpit by eliminating almost all physical controls and operating everything from the touchscreen. The latest push removed the stalks in favor of touch controls, which rattled Euro NCAP. The agency announced that it would require physical controls for crucial functions to award the maximum five-star rating.
The presence (or lack thereof) of physical buttons has become a sensitive matter, especially after Tesla took the extreme approach of eliminating almost all physical controls in the cockpit. The issue is highly polarizing, with many Tesla owners swearing that physical buttons are a sign of the past. In contrast, others argue that physical buttons are safer to operate without taking their eyes off the road. While neither side is willing to make any concessions, Tesla continues to remove physical controls and rely exclusively on touch buttons or menu functions in the infotainment interface.
With the launch of the refreshed Mode S and Model X in 2021, Tesla also removed two essential controls that have been the essence of modern vehicles: the turn indicator stalk and the drive selector stalk. The move has not garnered the attention it deserved because it came at the same time Tesla introduced the controversial yoke. Following owners' backlash, Tesla added back the option of a round steering wheel and later made it the default setup. However, the stalks never returned.
While the Model S and Model X are still low-volume models, the refreshed Model 3 is anything but. Removing the turn indicator stalk caused a lot of uproar, especially in Europe. Signaling inside a roundabout poses serious challenges finding a capacitive button on the steering wheel while turning it at the same time. And Europe has a lot of roundabouts, which makes this shortcoming even more annoying. The upcoming Model Y Juniper refresh will bring the complete disappearance of signal stalks from Tesla EVs.
This only fueled the safety advocacy movement, which is now scoring an essential victory in Europe. During an interview with The Times, Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP, confirmed that the agency declared war on touch buttons and menu entries. From 2026, new Euro NCAP tests will mandate separate physical controls for critical safety functions. These include turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and any SOS features.
"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," Avery told The Times. "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."
Tesla is the most obvious target, having removed all the above physical controls. It recently introduced the airbag horn, but everything else relies on software controls. Of course, the Euro NCAP is not a regulator and cannot impose these measures on automakers. Much like the IIHS in the US, it can only incentivize carmakers to offer certain features by requiring them to be present for a perfect safety rating. Since a five-star Euro NCAP rating is a major selling point, the agency has the bargaining power to impose a change on its own.
With the launch of the refreshed Mode S and Model X in 2021, Tesla also removed two essential controls that have been the essence of modern vehicles: the turn indicator stalk and the drive selector stalk. The move has not garnered the attention it deserved because it came at the same time Tesla introduced the controversial yoke. Following owners' backlash, Tesla added back the option of a round steering wheel and later made it the default setup. However, the stalks never returned.
While the Model S and Model X are still low-volume models, the refreshed Model 3 is anything but. Removing the turn indicator stalk caused a lot of uproar, especially in Europe. Signaling inside a roundabout poses serious challenges finding a capacitive button on the steering wheel while turning it at the same time. And Europe has a lot of roundabouts, which makes this shortcoming even more annoying. The upcoming Model Y Juniper refresh will bring the complete disappearance of signal stalks from Tesla EVs.
This only fueled the safety advocacy movement, which is now scoring an essential victory in Europe. During an interview with The Times, Matthew Avery, director of strategic development at Euro NCAP, confirmed that the agency declared war on touch buttons and menu entries. From 2026, new Euro NCAP tests will mandate separate physical controls for critical safety functions. These include turn signals, hazard lights, windshield wipers, the horn, and any SOS features.
"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," Avery told The Times. "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."
Tesla is the most obvious target, having removed all the above physical controls. It recently introduced the airbag horn, but everything else relies on software controls. Of course, the Euro NCAP is not a regulator and cannot impose these measures on automakers. Much like the IIHS in the US, it can only incentivize carmakers to offer certain features by requiring them to be present for a perfect safety rating. Since a five-star Euro NCAP rating is a major selling point, the agency has the bargaining power to impose a change on its own.
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