As opposed to touchscreens, physical dials and buttons facilitate muscle memory which is a boon for in-car operations while driving
Touchscreens! A technological advancement in human to machine interface is well regarded for its intuitiveness. No matter how enticing they are for human to machine interfacing, they need visual backing to correctly position our fingers. Taking eyes off the road could prove fatal for drivers and occupants in cars.
Euro NCAP Asks OEMs For Fewer Screens
Once considered a cutting-edge feature only seen in halo cars, mass manufacturing of touchscreens has enabled their applications in cheapest of cars. Not just cars, but even scooters below Rs. 1 lakh mark in India are getting touchscreens. That is because the economies of scale for touchscreen manufacturers have drastically reduced prices.
So much so, that touchscreens are now cheaper to design and implement than physical buttons and dials. How the tables turn, eh? This has allowed automakers to offer touchscreens as a fancy and cutting-edge attribute, which is emerging as a profitable solution. But the inconveniences of a touchscreen remain at large.
Especially when carmakers integrate everything into touchscreens these days. That is why Euro NCAP is set to include touchscreen factors in its new car assessment programs. A recent report mentioned these revelations when Matthew Avery, Director of Strategic Developments at Euro NCAP expressed his views on the over-use of touchscreens.
He expressed how many OEMs are shifting crucial and key functionalities of a car into touchscreens. This necessitates driver to take their eyes off the road momentarily, which could potentially prove fatal involving an unpleasant crash or accident. Some of these key functionalities are horn, turn indicators, SOS, headlight controls, wiper controls, and hazard light controls, among others.
How will this affect car industry?
Euro NCAP is an independent car assessment institution and guidelines set forth by them are not legal requirements. They can’t muscle their way into implementing their guidelines. However, they have had a massive impact on vehicular safety awareness and have a ginormous pull among general consensus.
Many OEMs use Euro NCAP safety ratings as a marketing factor to promote their vehicle as a safer offering. A couple of points less in the test could potentially drop a star off the car’s final result. Something that OEMs can’t afford. Avery explained that these new guidelines are not yet finalised and evaluation procedures are yet to be coined.
He further mentioned a timeline for implementing these guidelines, which is set to happen in 2026. One would argue that ADAS systems exist and can mitigate any hazard when a driver has taken their eyes off the road to operate a touchscreen. However, ADAS systems are not foolproof as of today.
