Euro NCAP to mark down cars relying on touchscreens
Discussion
Euro NCAP wants more pushbuttons for major functions, otherwise manufacturers will lose points:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/car-makers-must...
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/car-makers-must...
119 said:
"Indicators, hazard warning lights, windscreen wipers, horn, and SOS features will have to be controlled by proper switches in order for cars to be granted Euro NCAP’s coveted five star safety rating."
I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Not sure the quotes are particularly clear, guessing it's the vague SOS features bit? Or this is a developing subject? Anyway it sounds like a start.I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Hammersia said:
119 said:
"Indicators, hazard warning lights, windscreen wipers, horn, and SOS features will have to be controlled by proper switches in order for cars to be granted Euro NCAP’s coveted five star safety rating."
I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Not sure the quotes are particularly clear, guessing it's the vague SOS features bit? Or this is a developing subject? Anyway it sounds like a start.I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Must admit, i seem to remember some VAG cars had some wiper functions adjustable via the screen but the main on and off stuff was on the stalk.
Still, be interesting to see what comes of it.
Personally, I'd force manufacturers to have the old-style rotary controls for the heater.
turn everything clockwise for max hot air to the screen.
Compared with looking for little buttons to plip-plip through the choices.
They could also get rid of w
ky delays between pressing the button and 'things happening'.
Also, why do some manufacturers make the wiper controls 'upside down'?
Do they think they are being clever?
turn everything clockwise for max hot air to the screen.
Compared with looking for little buttons to plip-plip through the choices.
They could also get rid of w
ky delays between pressing the button and 'things happening'.Also, why do some manufacturers make the wiper controls 'upside down'?
Do they think they are being clever?
119 said:
"Indicators, hazard warning lights, windscreen wipers, horn, and SOS features will have to be controlled by proper switches in order for cars to be granted Euro NCAP’s coveted five star safety rating."
I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Tesla is the worst culprit, wipers managed only via the screen - though I’m not sure if they’ll get away with it due to the auto wiper function.I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
NCAP Leading from behind.
Bit late to be saying this as the horse has well and truly bolted, buttons are already gone, cost savings spent elsewhere.
This from the Muppets who brought us Active Lane Assist you have turn off every sodding time because the manufacturer gets points for doing this.
Has NCAP outlived its usefulness?
Absolutely, they are now doing more harm than good.
Bit late to be saying this as the horse has well and truly bolted, buttons are already gone, cost savings spent elsewhere.
This from the Muppets who brought us Active Lane Assist you have turn off every sodding time because the manufacturer gets points for doing this.
Has NCAP outlived its usefulness?
Absolutely, they are now doing more harm than good.
Hammersia said:
Euro NCAP wants more pushbuttons for major functions, otherwise manufacturers will lose points:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/car-makers-must...
Why care (unless the insurance goes up)https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/car-makers-must...
A lot of the stuff that increases the points is an annoyance, a box ticking exercise.
In the past they were relavent, not now .
Edited by James6112 on Monday 4th March 18:32
119 said:
"Indicators, hazard warning lights, windscreen wipers, horn, and SOS features will have to be controlled by proper switches in order for cars to be granted Euro NCAP’s coveted five star safety rating."
I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
Me neither. Maybe some Tesla cars have the wipers operated via the touchscreen? That is the only example I can think of.I haven't seen a car where any of these tasks are directly performed via a screen?
I thought that hazard lights legally had to be a physical switch anyway, for type approval...?
I don't think this will have much impact, and I think that Euro NCAP knows it. Nobody is trying to put the horn onto a touchscreen. They would have been better off marking down cars for unnecessarily complex touchscreen software, with commonly used functions (audio, climate control etc.) requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road for some time. That is surely a safety hazard.
The bigger question IMHO is whether NCAP is losing its relevance. I remember the head of Dacia saying that customers don't care about NCAP ratings any more (after a recent Dacia model got a particularly low one). He said that they are just raising the bar unnecessarily high in an effort to stay relevant and it is adding unnecessary cost. For example if there is no audible seatbelt warning on all seatbelts (including all the rear ones) then you can't get 5 stars. So you have to run the wiring harness to the rear seats and add all the switches which adds cost.
I think that at least one other major manufacturer said the same thing recently. It would not surprise me if there was a co-ordinated effort from the industry to move away from NCAP ratings.
I remember back in the day, an NCAP 5 star rating was highly coveted and a real selling point. Now virtually every car has 4 or 5 stars, people seem to feel that every car on sale today is "safe enough" and nobody seems to care much about the NCAP rating. It would be interesting to hear from car sales people if customers actually ask about NCAP these days.
OutInTheShed said:
Personally, I'd force manufacturers to have the old-style rotary controls for the heater.
turn everything clockwise for max hot air to the screen.
Compared with looking for little buttons to plip-plip through the choices.
They could also get rid of wky delays between pressing the button and 'things happening'.
Also, why do some manufacturers make the wiper controls 'upside down'?
Do they think they are being clever?
Four zone climate control might be interesting with manual valves! turn everything clockwise for max hot air to the screen.
Compared with looking for little buttons to plip-plip through the choices.
They could also get rid of w
ky delays between pressing the button and 'things happening'.Also, why do some manufacturers make the wiper controls 'upside down'?
Do they think they are being clever?
Careful what you wish for, I remember how many people used to struggle with "turn everything to hot, and the windscreen legend, and keep the a/C on"... you would see them driving around wiping furiously with their hand.
Most cars I've had from the last 20 years or so have a singular button that sets everything correctly for demisting . That includes an auxiliary heater so you don't have to wait for the engine to warm up either, hurrah!
Also, some makes have had heated front screens since forever so again, a single button like the one that turns on the rear window and mirror heaters.
You'll have to explain the wiper one - do you mean the legends are printed upside down, or that the direction for on/off is different from what you prefer?
I dislike some of the functionality buried in screen menus on Teslas
Indicators are on the stalk or on the steering wheel on the most recent cars.
Wipers are on the stalk and adjusted via steering wheel multifunction. Unsure where there are on the latest update.
Horn is on the wheel.
Not clear what an “sos” feature is, guess it’s specced somewhere.
It’s the lesser used functions that can be a bit of a fiddle. I’m 18k in and I couldn’t tell you right now how to turn the fogs on. I guess it’s in the lighting augment, but I’d need to take eyes off the road to do it.
fatboy b said:
That’s Tesla fked then 
Hazards are in on a specific button. ked then Indicators are on the stalk or on the steering wheel on the most recent cars.
Wipers are on the stalk and adjusted via steering wheel multifunction. Unsure where there are on the latest update.
Horn is on the wheel.
Not clear what an “sos” feature is, guess it’s specced somewhere.
It’s the lesser used functions that can be a bit of a fiddle. I’m 18k in and I couldn’t tell you right now how to turn the fogs on. I guess it’s in the lighting augment, but I’d need to take eyes off the road to do it.
Mr E said:
Not clear what an “sos” feature is, guess it’s specced somewhere.
Most new cars have an SOS button which will contact emergency services on request and also automatically if the car detects an accident. It transmits the location and connects directly to the control room who can check if any assistance required. Not sure if Teslas have this but I figured it was a legal requirement somewhere John87 said:
Mr E said:
Not clear what an “sos” feature is, guess it’s specced somewhere.
Most new cars have an SOS button which will contact emergency services on request and also automatically if the car detects an accident. It transmits the location and connects directly to the control room who can check if any assistance required. Not sure if Teslas have this but I figured it was a legal requirement somewhere Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff