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Additionally, Tesla still owns the charging market, and Polestar says EV skeptics are falling into a “trap of disbelief.”
The other day I was driving my wife’s Tesla Model 3 on the freeway with Autopilot engaged. Her car has the latest vehicle updates installed, which means Autopilot is a little noisy. I noticed that every time I looked through the car’s menus to find a particular setting, Autopilot would notice my eyes focused on the infotainment screen, nagging me to pay attention. This is absolutely what you should do. But it got me thinking. Shouldn’t these controls be easier to find so that my eyes never leave the road?
welcome to important materials, your daily roundup of all things EV and automotive technology. Today, we take a closer look at European efforts to restore physical control. What’s more, Tesla still owns the public charging market, and EV doubters are falling into a “trap of disbelief,” Polestar claims.
30%: Europe pushes for return of physical buttons in the name of safety
The European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is the continent’s car safety rating system, and it’s very different from what our own Road Traffic Safety Authority does here. And Europe will soon require automakers to make certain features accessible via physical buttons in order to achieve the highest possible safety ratings.
From 2026, Euro NCAP will require owners to assign five specific tasks to physical buttons, rather than operating them via an infotainment screen. Turn signals, windshield wiper controls, vehicle horns, hazard warning lights, and built-in SOS functions should all be removed from the touch screen and assigned to something tangible.
This may seem like a no-brainer. But some automakers like Tesla and Volkswagen have already come under fire from both consumers and industry regulators for ditching physical buttons in the name of minimalist interiors. There are good reasons for this. It’s hard to remember where certain controls are when they’re buried below a menu on the touch screen rather than as easy-to-remember buttons.
Matthew Avery, Strategic Development Director at Euro NCAP, explains:
Overuse of touchscreens is an industry-wide problem, with nearly every automaker moving key controls to a central touchscreen, forcing drivers to take their eyes off the road and increasing the risk of distraction accidents. The risks are rising. New Euro NCAP tests scheduled for 2026 will encourage manufacturers to use discrete physical controls in an intuitive way for basic functions, limiting the time you take your eyes off the road and improving safer driving. promotes it.
Granted, most car manufacturers have no plans to include horns and hazard lights in their menus, but some of the other items Euro NCAP calls for (such as turn signals and wiper controls) are already a reality. I am. -Example from today’s world.
60%: America’s charging network would be much worse without Tesla
Give Tesla credit. Tesla has built what remains the best, most reliable, and most extensive charging network today. That’s why every automaker is signing on to Tesla’s network and plug system. And Tesla continues to be the market leader in actual charging growth.
I say a lot, but this is car news The headline further states, “Without Tesla, the U.S. is only 3% of the way to reaching its DC fast charger goal.” Including Tesla’s network, America is 9.1% closer to her 2030 goal of widely available DC fast chargers.
Basically, all of this Charger growth isn’t happening fast enough.
The U.S. added 2,696 fast-charging ports in the third quarter of 2023, an 8.3% increase, according to the institute’s February report. The growth rate for fast chargers was lower than the growth rate for slower Level 1 and Level 2 chargers.
“We should see more chargers installed,” said Akshay Singh, automotive partner at PwC Strategy&. The number of fast chargers installed is “increasing, but it’s not as fast as we need it to be. It’s not enough.”
The gradual progress toward the charger goal comes as the EV transition has slowed and even states like California with enthusiastic adopters are sitting on lots and slowing sales. California registered 89,993 electric light passenger vehicles in the fourth quarter, down 10% from 101,151 in the third quarter, according to data compiled by Experian Automotive for the California New Car Dealers Association.
Analysts, automakers and drivers agree that range anxiety and a lack of reliable and accessible charging are part of the problem. A JD Power survey conducted last month found that public chargers are gradually becoming more reliable but often have long wait times.
Thank you Supercharger Network.
90%: Polestar CEO says EV skeptics are heading into a ‘trap of disbelief’
The global automotive industry appears to have reached a tipping point in its transition to electrification. It’s happening whether consumers like it or not, in the name of emissions reductions forced by regulators. Automakers are finding this battle for consumer demand to be the biggest hurdle beyond actually spending the cash to build battery plants and factories. Renewed production line.
Recently, several automakers have begun reducing EV production in order to rebalance production capacity between EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles to better meet consumer demand. Some companies are even doubling down on their electrification efforts by omitting targets or extending timelines for global markets. According to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, this is an elaborate “trap” they have fallen into.
Here’s what Ingenrath had to say telegraph paper:
Incredible threats and dangers exist if we do not embrace and believe in future innovations, such as electric drivetrains, battery innovations, and the latest electronics and software innovations. If you don’t participate and think you can wait and your customers are ready for that, that’s an incredible trap.
Polestar in particular has had a long-standing stance on electrification, electrification is a reality, and the company is fully committed to electrification. Despite recent funding concerns from sister company Volvo, Polestar still plans a brand-wide transition to electrification. The company’s newest battery electric vehicle, the Polestar 3, has already begun production in China and is expected to begin operations at Polestar’s production facility in South Carolina later this year.
Specifically, Ingenrath recognizes that there is a significant uncompetitive gap in the market, so the brand sees an “incredible opportunity” to develop premium performance vehicles. . Does that mean Polestar is delivering some interesting performance?
100%: What is your opinion about the button?
I feel like the consumer side of physical buttons is very polarized. Opinions seem to be sharply divided on this point, especially among Tesla owners. Some people feel that physical buttons and stems just add clutter to the car interior, while others say they are a necessity (for safety and ease of use).
Personally, I agree with the latter. Cars have certain controls that make sense to be physical buttons. That is, something that is used frequently and that drivers need to be able to access without taking their hands off the road. Stokes are a big problem, especially around roundabouts where it’s not easy to turn while pressing the button on the steering wheel.
So, which do you prefer: the clean, minimalist cockpit or the button-rich, easy-to-use interior? Let us know in the comments.
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