Europe and China Now Require Physical Buttons in Cars — Will the US Follow?

The end of touchscreen-only controls

China is taking steps to curb the proliferation of screen-embedded controls in modern cars after banning yoke steering wheels and flush door handles.

Draft rules from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will force carmakers to use real physical buttons for key functions, China Auto News Report. Target? Reduce distractions and ensure drivers are able to operate essential functions without taking their eyes off the road. If approved, the rules would apply to all new cars built after July 1, 2027.

China’s move follows similar rules announced by Europe last year. Starting this year, cars will require physical control of certain core functions to achieve a Euro NCAP five-star safety rating. Old World automakers had three years to redesign interiors to meet new standards.

Some brands are already leading the way

The list of physical buttons required in Europe covers basic functions: turn signals, hazard lights, horn, wipers and emergency button. China’s draft rules go further, adding gear selection, ADAS activation, defroster, power windows and an electric car power-off switch. Chinese regulators also want the buttons to be fixed in place and easy to find by touch so drivers don’t have to hunt through a screen to use them.

The change comes after years of automakers moving in the opposite direction. Inspired by Tesla, many brands have done away with buttons over the past decade and put more functionality on the large central screen. BYD and Xiaomi follow the same strategy.

Now, this trend is reversing. Volkswagen has reinstated real climate and audio buttons after admitting that too many touch controls made driving more difficult for the driver. Mercedes-Benz replaced the touch sliders on the steering wheel with proper switches, while Hyundai has never given up on using real knobs for the functions people use most.

This is not to abandon the digital cabin entirely. Automakers still use large screens for navigation, media and apps. The difference now is that regulators want basic functions to have their own buttons, not just a place in a menu.

what does this mean for america

Currently, the United States does not require a physical button to achieve top security scores. But automobile development is global. With Europe and China making these changes, automakers may decide it’s easier to design a single interior for all markets than separate versions for each region.

That means U.S. buyers may see a return of more genuine buttons, even if local rules don’t change. After all, concerns about driver distraction and complex screens are already part of the discussion here.

It’s worth noting that we’re not going back to a dashboard full of switches – but, wouldn’t that be nice? Instead, the industry is adopting a combination: big screens provide advanced functionality, while real buttons provide something drivers can use at any time without having to think or take their eyes off the road.

View 4 images from this gallery in the original article

This article was originally published by Autoblog on February 17, 2026 and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add Autoblog as your preferred source.