Cars sold in China will soon be required to have physical buttons for key functions, forcing automakers to move away from the minimalist Tesla-style cabins that are increasingly popular there and shift most functions to a touchscreen.
As reported by Car news Chinaa draft for public comment has been completed ahead of a mandate expected to come into effect for new vehicles in China from July 1, 2026.
This mandate is intended to require physical buttons or switches for a range of functions, including turn signals, window operation, windshield wipers, gear selection and window defogging, as well as the ability to turn on or off Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functions such as lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.
A physical off switch will also be required for electric vehicles (EVs), with features described by Chinese authorities consistent with new regulations being enforced by vehicle safety authorities around the world.
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From 2026, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP), working with the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), will require vehicles to have physical controls or risk missing out on a five-star safety rating.
The requirement for physical buttons is part of the new 2026 security protocols to be adopted by both security bodies, which are already in preview, but further details have yet to be announced.
More and more car brands have removed buttons from their cabins and instead shifted functions to in-car touchscreens.
This has saved space, resulted in cleaner interior design and reduced manufacturing costs and complexity for car manufacturers.
However, it has also generated significant customer complaints about usability, including the unconventional placement of key features.
A 2024 study by Hyundai Design North America (HDNA) found that the majority of respondents preferred physical buttons. HDNA Vice President Ha Hak-soo said, “When we conducted tests with our focus group, we found that people are stressed, annoyed and frantic when they want to control something in an emergency but are unable to do so.”
Tesla, for example, removed the traditional turn signal stalks in the 2023 Model 3 update sold in Australia and replaced them with steering wheel buttons before quietly reintroducing them in an update in late 2025.
The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 also feature a power on/off command within a touchscreen menu, without a physical switch as a backup – something that is no longer accepted in China and penalized by safety authorities in Europe and Australia.
Similarly, Volkswagen owners in the US have filed a lawsuit over problems with the capacitive buttons on the steering wheel of the ID.4 EV, which is sold in Australia alongside the related ID.5.
The capacitive buttons reportedly led to drivers accidentally activating features using just a “brush,” prompting the German automaker to revert to using physical buttons in future models.
Proposed laws in China require the buttons to be not only clearly visible, but also “blind operable” – meaning they can be easily operated without the driver taking their eyes off the road in front of them.
The authorities’ decision is one of several recent changes to improve safety, including banning flush electric door handles without a mechanical lock.
Without a mechanical lock, a vehicle’s doors may not be able to open after a collision in which power has been lost, making it difficult for occupants to exit and complicating rescue efforts.
China has also decided to ban “yoke-style” steering wheels from brands such as Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus.
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