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The recently announced decision by Euro NCAP to require the use of "real buttons" instead of touchscreens in vehicles from 2026 due to safety concerns has drawn criticism from EVYTRA, a leading manufacturer of printed circuit boards and touch solutions since 1969.
Euro NCAP is a Brussels-based organization of European transport ministries, automobile clubs and insurance associations that conducts crash tests (to be published in March 2024).
 
While the regression from touch modules to rotary knobs is already being referred to on social media as the "revenge of the physical buttons," Pierre Lohrber, managing partner of EVYTRA GmbH, has a more nuanced view:
"The return to control buttons means a rethink for manufacturers like Lucid or Tesla.
 However, the integration of physical buttons into modern HMI design can also offer advantages.
 The majority of vehicles still have classic plastic turn signal levers. Although modern HMIs with a glass surface offer many advantages, such as tactile feedback, faster response times, and the possibility of blind operation in certain conditions, such as poor visibility or when wearing gloves," says Lohrber.
However, Lohrber is critical of the future direction of the Euro NCAP requirement: User interfaces are becoming increasingly intelligent and responsive to voice-controlled commands. Meanwhile, car manufacturers are increasingly working on autonomous driving and connected technologies. Fortunately, the Euro NCAP guidelines are not binding and the award is "only" a marketing function for car manufacturers.