Euro NCAP’s 2026 vehicle safety assessments have highlighted differences in how manufacturers design controls for essential driving functions, with physical buttons and switches receiving particular attention under the organisation’s updated testing protocols.
The latest results cover the Audi Q7, Kia EV2 and XPENG X9. All three vehicles earned five-star overall safety ratings, although their performance in the driving-control assessment varied. Euro NCAP’s findings indicate that the availability and placement of physical controls can influence how easily drivers operate essential functions without navigating touchscreen menus.
Physical Controls Affect Driving-Control Scores
Under Euro NCAP’s Safe Driving assessment, essential functions such as indicators, windscreen wipers and washers, hazard warning lights, the horn and the eCall emergency button are expected to be accessible through direct physical controls rather than being hidden within touchscreen menus.
The Audi Q7 scored 90% in the driving-control assessment, including 100% for essential driving tasks and 80% for comfort and infotainment controls. Euro NCAP highlighted its use of visible, ergonomically positioned buttons and stalks.
The Kia EV2 also received a positive assessment for its driving controls. By contrast, the XPENG X9 scored 20% for its primary driving controls, reflecting its greater reliance on the central touchscreen.
Euro NCAP introduced its updated protocols in 2026 partly in response to concerns that touchscreen-based controls can require more visual attention and interaction than physical buttons. The organisation’s assessment considers whether key functions can be operated intuitively while reducing the potential for driver distraction.
Results Across Other Models
Euro NCAP’s 2026 driving-control results also show differences among other tested vehicles. The BMW iX3 scored 100%, while the CUPRA Raval and Geely E2 each scored 80%.
The Zeekr 7GT and AION UT received scores of 20%, while the Leapmotor B05 scored 0% in the driving-control assessment.
These figures relate specifically to the driving-control category and should not be interpreted as overall vehicle safety ratings. Euro NCAP noted that several of the vehicles with lower driving-control scores still achieved five-star overall ratings.
Audi Q7: Five-Star Safety Rating
The latest Audi Q7 received a five-star Euro NCAP rating. Its driving-control assessment highlighted the use of physical buttons and switches for essential functions.
Euro NCAP also noted the SUV’s lane-departure system, which adjusts its sensitivity according to the driver’s level of attention. The system is designed to reduce warnings and interventions when the driver is attentive.
The Q7 also performed well in occupant protection assessments covering frontal, side and pole impacts.
XPENG X9: Strong Overall Rating Despite Control Concerns
The XPENG X9, a large multi-purpose vehicle, also received five stars overall. Its assessment included strong results in crash avoidance and post-crash safety, although Euro NCAP identified shortcomings in its touchscreen-based controls.
The organisation also raised concerns about the X9’s speed assistance system following a 2,000 km real-world European test drive. According to Euro NCAP, the system did not meet its effectiveness benchmarks for conditional speed limits, including restrictions applying in wet weather or to heavy goods vehicles.
The assessment also found that the system did not meet basic protocol requirements for displaying the last known speed limit alongside a clear indication when a sign could not be interpreted.
Kia EV2: Driver Monitoring and Assistance Systems
The Kia EV2 earned a five-star safety rating, supported in part by its Driver State Monitoring system and crash protection performance.
Euro NCAP assessed how the vehicle’s driver-assistance systems respond to different levels of driver attention. Features such as lane-departure prevention are evaluated on whether intervention timing and severity are appropriately calibrated for attentive and distracted driving.
The organisation said systems need to demonstrate a meaningful difference in their responses to these conditions while avoiding unnecessary warnings and interventions.
Additional Assessments: BYD Shark and Mazda 2 Hybrid
Euro NCAP also reported results for two vehicles assessed under its 2025 protocols.
The BYD Shark pickup received a five-star rating based on an assessment adapted from Australasian NCAP’s 2025 testing, supplemented by Euro NCAP frontal offset and barrier impact evaluations. Euro NCAP reported that the vehicle delivered good driver assistance performance and solid crash protection, although a post-test penalty was applied after a side curtain airbag failed to deploy correctly.
The Mazda 2 Hybrid retained its four-star 2025 rating, carried over from its mechanically related Toyota Yaris model.
Euro NCAP Calls for Greater Use of Physical Controls
Euro NCAP Programme Director Aled Williams said the latest results reflect ongoing concerns about placing essential driving functions within touchscreen systems.
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.
The findings underline Euro NCAP’s emphasis on the accessibility of essential controls as part of its broader vehicle safety assessments. The results also demonstrate that a vehicle can achieve a five-star overall rating while receiving a substantially lower score in a specific assessment category.