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Comment on Cars will need fewer screens and more buttons to earn a 5-star safety rating in Europe | Euro NCAP will introduce new testing rules in 2026 requiring physical controls for the highest safety score

Darrell_Winfield@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

cars will need to use buttons, dials, or stalks for hazard warning lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS calls, and the horn.

Not enough, in my opinion. I’ve never had a car with these on touch screens, but I can’t imagine why anyone would think it’s a good idea. I’d like entertainment centers to stop being touch screens as well, but this doesn’t go that far. Hopefully they do in the future, though, since this is a good start!

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Nighed@feddit.uk ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
I consider temperature and fan controls to be safety critical for demisting windows etc for example.

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- PunnyName@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  What, keeping a rag on hand to wipe away the fog on the windshield every 3 minutes isn’t safe enough?
  
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tiramichu@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Not far enough indeed.

I dont need all my entertainment as physical controls but I do at least want volume - and that is totally justifiable as a safety consideration too. Sometimes you need to mute it quickly if you think you heard something of concern on the road - or if you are like me, just to concentrate on driving when things get tricky…

There are so many other items you can apply similar safety arguments for:

Blowers and demisters - you shouldn’t be messing around in a touchscreen when you see your windows starting to fog

Cabin temperature - Uncomfortable driver = distracted driver

In my opinion, the place to draw the line should be this:

If the driver always has the luxury of choosing when to engage with the feature, then it can be fully touchscreen. (example - entertainment except volume, fuel economy settings, electric seat position)

If the need to interact with the feature is triggered by external conditions and will happen in motion, it MUST be physical. (Example: wipers, heating, blowers, all headlight and fog light controls, enable or diasable lane assist, cruise control)

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Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

I can’t imagine why anyone would think it’s a good idea

Suposedly it’s to cut costs but I find it very hard to believe a few buttons add much cost at all. Much less at the expense of customer satisfaction. Tripping over a dollar to pick up a dime, in my opinion.

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- NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  The button might be 1c, but you gotta wire it, install it, warranty it etc etc. It’s not as inconsequential as you might think.
  
  A screen is the screen and the wiring to the computer.
  
  It’s a couple skus to maintain instead of dozens. It’s 1 warranty item instead of dozens.
  
  It might not be a good idea, but it absolutely will save a noticeable amount of money per vehicle.
  
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  - Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    
    it absolutely will save a noticeable amount of money per vehicle.
    
    I don’t believe that.
    
    Monroe has talked about how they removed some bolts that weren’t absolutely necessary from the vehicle, saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars. In that case, it’s fine. In this case I think it’s the same situation except they don’t care about driver safety. If the driver is fucking with touchscreens and crashes, that’s gonna be on the driver.
    
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    NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    You’re contradicting yourself LOL
    
    I don’t believe that.
    
    Monroe has talked about how they removed some bolts that weren’t absolutely necessary from the vehicle, saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars. In that case, it’s fine.
    
    Its okay if you don’t like it, but come on dude, a screen is going to be cheaper by 10s or maybe a hundred dollars a car. Were talking 10s of millions saved with any company doing this at scale.
    
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