Euro NCAP’s latest vehicle safety assessments highlight differences in how manufacturers provide access to essential driving controls, with the Audi Q7 and Kia EV2 scoring well for their use of physical buttons and switches.
The results cover three new vehicles tested under Euro NCAP’s 2026 protocols: the Audi Q7, Kia EV2 and XPENG X9. All three received five-star overall safety ratings, but their scores for driving controls differed significantly.
Under the Safe Driving assessment, Euro NCAP evaluates whether key functions, including indicators, windscreen wipers and washers, hazard warning lights, the horn and the eCall emergency button, can be operated through direct physical inputs rather than touchscreen menus.
The assessment reflects concerns that placing everyday driving functions within touchscreen interfaces can increase driver distraction.
Physical Driving Controls
The Audi Q7 achieved an overall score of 90% for driving controls, including 100% for essential driving tasks and 80% for comfort and infotainment functions.
According to Euro NCAP, the SUV uses clearly visible buttons and stalks positioned for straightforward manual operation. The organisation said this approach reduces the potential for driver distraction.
The result follows previous criticism of manufacturers, including Audi’s parent company, Volkswagen Group, for replacing physical controls with touchscreen interfaces.
The Kia EV2, a smaller electric crossover, also performed well in the driving controls assessment. Its five-star overall rating was supported by its driver monitoring and crash protection performance.
Touchscreen Controls
The XPENG X9, a large multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), scored 20% for its primary driving controls because it relies heavily on its central touchscreen for essential functions.
Despite this result, the vehicle secured a five-star overall safety rating, supported by its performance in crash avoidance and post-crash safety.
Euro NCAP also identified shortcomings in the X9’s speed assistance system. During a 2,000 km real-world European test drive, the system did not meet the organisation’s effectiveness benchmarks. It struggled with conditional speed limits, including restrictions applying in wet weather or to heavy goods vehicles.
The system also failed to meet protocol requirements for displaying the last known speed limit and clearly indicating when a road sign could not be interpreted.
2026 Testing Protocols
The latest assessments follow the introduction of Euro NCAP’s 2026 protocols, which place greater emphasis on the accessibility and operation of essential driving controls.
Results from other vehicles tested this year show a wide variation in performance. The BMW iX3 achieved 100% in the driving controls assessment, while the CUPRA Raval and GEELY E2 each scored 80%. By comparison, the ZEEKR 7GT and AION UT each scored 20%, while the Leapmotor B05 scored 0%.
Euro NCAP said the results demonstrate differences in how manufacturers integrate physical controls into vehicle interiors. The organisation has argued that physical buttons and switches can make frequently used functions easier to operate without diverting attention from the road.
Dr Aled Williams, Programme Director at Euro NCAP, said:Euro NCAP is continually monitoring market trends, and the move toward placing as many driving controls within a car’s touchscreen system is one that has concerned us just as much as it has annoyed consumers. It is clear in these results that the XPENG adheres to the mantra that everything must be included in the touch screen, despite overwhelmingly negative feedback by European car buyers. We applaud Audi and Kia for taking a more common-sense approach. Our latest protocols reward the intelligent use of physical buttons and controls, as this can reduce driver distraction, and both Audi’s new Q7 and Kia’s EV2 do an excellent job of keeping safety simple. Other manufacturers, including XPENG, would do well to follow this strategy.
This focus reflects a broader shift in industry and consumer preferences, where physical buttons are making a noticeable comeback in car cabins, aiding safety and user experience.
The latest announcement also includes ratings carried over from 2025 for two vehicles.
The BYD SHARK pickup truck retains a five-star rating based on testing adapted from Australasian NCAP’s 2025 assessment, supplemented by Euro NCAP frontal offset and barrier impact evaluations. Euro NCAP applied a penalty after a side curtain airbag failed to deploy correctly during testing.
The MAZDA 2 Hybrid retains its four-star rating, carried over from its Toyota Yaris sister model.
