Is the Tesla Model 3 Dangerous Due to Its All-Touchscreen Interface?

Euro NCAP is set to introduce new rules in 2026 requiring vehicles to have a minimum of physical controls to achieve a high rating.

The safety guidelines of the independent organization Euro NCAP are by no means a legal requirement. However, automakers take safety ratings very seriously, so any risk of losing points is carefully considered.

Euro NCAP in its latest guidance aims to encourage automakers to stop using touchscreens for basic functions, in order to promote safer driving. Remember how the removal of stalk controls on the latest Tesla Model 3 “Highland” sparked a wave of protests from the brand’s customers. According to The Times, Euro NCAP plans to introduce new rules in January 2026 requiring evaluated vehicles to be equipped with a minimum of physical controls to earn the coveted and much-desired 5-star rating. Euro NCAP specifically references hazard lights, indicators, wipers, SOS calls, and the horn.

aesthetics at the expense of safety

This decision by Euro NCAP ultimately seems quite logical because using the central touchscreen to activate some of these controls distracts the driver from the road for a fraction of a second. Even at an urban driving speed of 30 km/h, those tenths of a second can mean meters lost during emergency braking and obstacles that become impossible to avoid.

So why have some manufacturers like Tesla and Volkswagen decided to place basic vehicle controls behind touchscreen interfaces? Of course, there is the benefit of a streamlined dashboard, a feature highly appreciated by electric vehicle consumers. But don’t be fooled! Brands are pushing their equipment suppliers to favor touchscreen interfaces because they are simply cheaper to produce than physical buttons and dials.

In the current context of fierce price wars, reducing wiring and the number of physical controls can save hundreds of euros per model, but is that really more important than basic safety? And what happens the day your screen fails?

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