Stop what you are doing and pop the champagne.
If you are like me, you have spent the last five years screaming at your dashboard. You’ve hated digging through three sub-menus just to change the fan speed. You’ve cursed those capacitive touch sliders that don’t work when your fingers are slightly sweaty. You’ve wondered why modern car interiors started looking like Apple Stores with steering wheels.
Well, I have good news. As of January 2026, the tide has finally turned. The “iPadification” of cars is officially over.
The Euro NCAP Bombshell
The biggest global news this week isn’t a new hypercar; it’s a rule change. Euro NCAP (the gold standard for global safety ratings) has officially activated its 2026 Protocols.
Here is the kicker: To get a coveted 5-Star Safety Rating in 2026, a car MUST have physical, tactile controls for essential functions.
- Turn Indicators: No more buttons on the steering wheel (looking at you, Ferrari and Tesla).
- Hazard Lights: Must be a real button.
- Windscreen Wipers: Must be a stalk or physical switch.
- Horn: Must be on the center hub, not a touch-sensitive pad.
- SOS/eCall: Must be a physical button.
If a manufacturer puts these on a touchscreen? Zero points. They lose the 5-star rating. Since safety ratings make or break sales in Europe (and influence India’s Bharat NCAP), manufacturers are scrambling to bring buttons back.
The First Convert: The New VW ID. Polo
We didn’t have to wait long to see the results. Just this morning (Jan 4), Volkswagen dropped the interior images for the upcoming ID. Polo EV—and it is a glorious apology letter to drivers.
Remember the ID.3 and ID.4? They were infamous for their unlit touch sliders and frustrating software. The new ID. Polo?
- Real Buttons on the Steering Wheel: The haptic touchpads are gone. Hard plastic buttons that click are back.
- A Volume Knob: Yes, a physical rotary dial. Groundbreaking technology, right?
- Backlit Climate Keys: You can actually see them at night!
VW’s CEO admitted they “listened to the community.” Translation: They realized people stopped buying their cars because they were annoying to drive.
Why This Matters for India
“But AutoCritic,” you ask, “This is Europe. What about us?”
Global trends always trickle down. As Indian giants like Tata and Mahindra eye global exports (especially with the new Sierra EV and BE.6e), they have to comply with these global norms.
We are already seeing the shift. The new Mahindra BE.6e kept physical toggles for drive modes. The Tata Curvv retained physical toggle switches for the AC. The days of the “100% touch” interior are numbered, even here.
The AutoCritic Verdict
Technology is great. I love a crisp 360-degree camera and a smooth navigation screen. But technology should help you drive, not distract you from it.
2026 will be remembered as the year the automotive industry woke up from its tech-drunk hangover and realized that muscle memory matters. When you are doing 120 km/h on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, you don’t want to look at a screen to turn on your wipers. You want to feel the click.
The button is back, baby. And it’s here to stay.
Are you happy about the return of buttons, or do you actually like the clean touchscreen look? Fight it out in the comments below!
