this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2024
1417 points (99.8% liked)

World News

38969 readers
2327 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Carmakers are equipping their latest models with fancy touchscreens, but that could cause problems with Europe’s largest car safety authority.

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is revamping its rating system starting Jan. 1, 2026 to mandate that five of a car's primary controls — its horn, windshield wipers, turn signals, hazard warning lights and SOS features — will need physical buttons or switches.

Car models will have to comply to get NCAP's coveted five-star rating. The scheme is voluntary but is heeded by most automakers because it's closely monitored by consumers.

Belgium-based NCAP says that purely digital controls are a potential safety issue.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] soggy_kitty@sopuli.xyz -2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

"capacitive touch element". Wow you tried really hard to not call it a button.

It's still a dedicated space which isn't behind a screen or more importantly a menu. it's a button

[–] pufferfisherpowder@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago (2 children)

But it arguably lacks the physical response of a button. When in doubt you still have to look at the screen. If it has some kind of haptic feedback it might be the same.

[–] VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago

Capacitive touch also can be activated by accident by simply grazing the control while push buttons require force to actuate, making them much less likely to be activated accidentally.

[–] soggy_kitty@sopuli.xyz 3 points 7 months ago

It has a physical response. Haptic feedback, audible and visual response.

[–] commandar@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Putting it on the wheel purely to be different is a bad design no matter what you call it. You've turned a critical control into a tiny moving target. People having trouble locating them and have to take their eyes off the road is a common complaint about these things.

And, FWIW, I absolutely consider a capacitive sensor distinct from a physical button. An arbitrary flat spot on the steering wheel is substantially more difficult to locate and identify by feel. Especially when your hands are moving around the wheel while doing highly uncommon things like, I don't know, steering.

[–] soggy_kitty@sopuli.xyz 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I'm not arguing that it's good or bad, that's not part of my point at all. My argument is under these proposed rules it'll be considered a button in a court

[–] commandar@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

From the article:

Carmakers like Tesla which rely heavily on new tech will have to decide if NCAP's five-star rating is worth reversing its interior design. Tesla's latest Model 3 has force-touch buttons to activate the turn signal instead of the usual toggle — the kind of change the safety body is hoping to end.

Call them whatever you want, they're literally one of the things NCAP is identifying as a problem and considering in their safety ratings.