End of Touchscreens, Diesel Revival and the Return of Physical Buttons: Carmakers Make a 180-Degree Turn
Indian Defence Review • • business
Key Points:
- Automotive manufacturers are reversing a decade-long trend of replacing physical buttons with touchscreen controls due to new safety regulations in Europe and China requiring tactile controls for critical vehicle functions.
- From January 2026, Euro NCAP will require physical controls for functions like turn signals and hazard lights for vehicles to qualify for a five-star safety rating, which significantly influences consumer perception and sales in Europe.
- China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is proposing binding standards effective July 2027 that mandate mechanical controls with specific size and feedback requirements, as well as redundancy to ensure operability if infotainment systems fail.
- These regulatory changes necessitate substantial redesigns of vehicle interiors, impacting tooling, wiring, and electronic control units, with manufacturers likely adopting the stricter Chinese
