CN China to require physical controls for vehicle functions, reducing reliance on central control screen - Will this finally stop the plague of GIANT ASS INFOTAINMENT SCREENS in cars that Elon Musk created? Maybe.

Link / Archive

Physical control buttons inside BYD Fang Cheng Bao Bao 5's cockpit. Credit: BYD

The Chinese MIIT intends to require physical control mechanisms for functions such as turning turn signals on/off, raising/lowering windows, and activating advanced driving assistance system. This new requirement is expected to be mandatory for only newly manufactured vehicles starting July 1, 2026.


Li L8 cockpit


Aito M9 cockpit

In recent years, a theme among Chinese new energy vehicles is minimalistic cockpit design, with one of its characteristics being minimal presence of physical control buttons. Instead, a large central control screen houses most of the vehicle functions, and sometimes paired with co-pilot entertainment screen. This ubiquitous design was described by Geely’s VP as the “Chinese automotive industry is plagued by a trend of blindly following trends.”

As a revision to the existing national standard GB4094—2016 “Marking of Automotive Control Components, Indicators, and Signaling Devices”, the update adds new types and technical requirements for physical control components, ensuring that key control components are accessible, usable, and largely blind-operable during driving, without overly relying on visual input and reduce distractions caused by display screens.

This revision started in 2023, involving major automotive manufacturers and testing institutions, including China Automotive Technology and Research Center, Geely, FAW-Volkswagen, BYD, and Great Wall Motor. A draft for public comment has been completed and will be released soon, which specifically includes the following functions:

• Lighting: Turn signals, hazard warning lights (double flashers), horn
• Gear shifting: P/R/N/D (screen-only shifting is prohibited)
• Driver assistance: Activation switch for the advanced driver assistance system
• Safety/emergency: Windshield wipers, defroster/defogger, power windows, Child/Accident Emergency Call System (AECS), and electric vehicle power off switch

Other detailed requirements for physical controls were also specified such as dimensions (effective operating area ≥ 10 mm x 10 mm), usability (fixed position, blind operation, haptic/auditory feedback), and reliability (basic functions remain available when the vehicle system crashes/power is lost).

Source: Chinese MIIT

The big question is since non-Chinese automakers, i.e. Mercedes-Benz, Mazda, and Toyota, have also started adding GIANT ASS INFOTAINMENT SCREENS to their cars too, will they pivot back to physical controls again or no? And since HVAC and infotainment controls aren't part of the current draft of requirements, the GIANT ASS SCREENS may be here to stay somewhat.

 

[Blewberry Nausea]

You can’t be serious that isn’t real

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WRNyg4z2vNA

Do you guys want to know why this fucking thing exists? It exists so people will know THE EV CAR IS ON BECAUSE PEOPLE CANNOT TELL APPARENTLY

 

[Kosher Dill]

ensuring that key control components are accessible, usable, and largely blind-operable during driving

Good, they already drive like they're blind.

 

[BulkForceFive]

By the way, the fancy infotainment UIs the Wumaos gush about are an off the shelf product from Epic Games:
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/uses/hmi

>buy Fuxiang Wumaobile AT2 from China Motors
>install Gears of War on your infotainment system
>drive into tunnel
>car starts wallbouncing
>you die

 

[Otterly]

whoever did this, I’d like to buy them a drink.
PUT THE FUCKING SWITCHES BACK IN THE FUCKING CARS.
Humanity peaked at the click wheel iPod

 

[make_it_so]

>the car automatically goes into park when the driver side door is opened
Great way to completely piss off a car mechanic as he tries to line up your car with the lift.

They probably expect you to go to their own overpriced dealerships, not your reliable local mechanic.

 

[Thiletonomics]

They probably expect you to go to their own overpriced dealerships, not your reliable local mechanic.

Some car companies, namely Chinese ones, are keeping their repair manuals internal only, to prevent third-party mechanics from repairing their cars.

 

[Fartificial Insmelligence]

Man I’m just waiting for the first car company to team up with Sony or Microsoft and make a car that’s controlled with a PS/Xbox controller (not saying that’s a good idea, necessarily, but I’m sure it’s bound to happen at some point!)

 

[Google.com]

Elon will respond by making the American models only controllable by Grok.

 

[Fount of BadSpeak]

The reason car companies want everything tied to the screen is because they can then introduce proprietary software requirements to make repairs impossible. Headlight replacements that used to be $25 and take three minutes now cost $5000, take four hours since the entire lighting system has to be replaced, and require the dealership to reprogram the electrical system. Not sure if it's the same in China, but I can imagine that's likely the case considering they make American greed and anti-consumer mentality look paternalistic in comparison.

Every other reason the companies give is bullshit. The reason is that it makes planned obsolescence and anti-repair designs much easier to implement. The "infotainment" screens in vehicles ensure that tools that were once easy to repair and maintain now are full of DRM that makes it difficult even for trained techs with the right tools to work on the car.

 

[Quijibo69]

whoever did this, I’d like to buy them a drink.
PUT THE FUCKING SWITCHES BACK IN THE FUCKING CARS.
Humanity peaked at the click wheel iPod

I always thought having just a pad control everything is really dumb. Especially in place where weather changes drastically every year or super hot. It will end up breaking the thing.

 

[sheepworldvizor]

Dear China, please do LED headlights next.

Because those motherfuckers are DESTROYING my eyes at night.

 

[Kuritan Deplorable]

You can’t be serious that isn’t real

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WRNyg4z2vNA

Turning products into Lifestyles is a mistake that will outlive us all who's damages are immeasurable. Hobbies are one thing, not looking down on the golden age of automotive tinkering, but now you got people who's entire life is about what vehicle they drive and what features it has. Same goes for techies, or gamers, social media uses, political partisans, all of them. They're not longer a thing that's individually engaged with as a compliment to a holistic life, it is a primary element.

These kind of cars exist when 'normal' people are buying cars on the merits of what they think is "cool" to show off rather than function. They're competing to have something weird stand out on social media to get retards attentions. Same structure exists in my other example, something that was once a single facet of a persons life becoming the overriding driver and factor in everything they do, and driving that space to extremes to accommodate that level of engagement.

 

[Falcos_Commisar]

Is it just me or aren't these already things which aren't on screens on American market cars?

It's all the less mandatory stuff which is a massive pain to have on the touch screen only with no buttons to navigate the menus.

This feels more like a "don't you fucking dare do this retarded shit, don't even think it" rather than addressing the real issue unless the Chinese domestic market is even worse than I think it is.

Yes for the most part, except the dumbasses at Tesla.

Still, another CCP Win

 

[Gan Ying]

Digital controls should be banned everywhere. It's one of the most insane things about the modern day, bar none.

The aesthetics of cars, as well as window visibility, have been sacrificed at the altar of "safety" for years, and now all cars going back 15 years look like melted bars of soap. Rear view cameras are absolutely required because rearview windows are smaller than windows in a prison. In many places distracted driving, using your phone, can rightly lose you your driving privileges just like being intoxicated can.

And yet, distracted driving is literally BUILT INTO modern cars because of these touch controls, flying in the face of any safety bullshit they've forced into the machines. My car has a warning window that pops up to inform me that THE ROAD HAS SNOW ON IT. Something I can easily confirm by looking at the road. Sometimes it pops up after I've already been driving on the road for some time. It also has a pop up window when I'm low on gas, as if there wasn't a gauge to tell me exactly that. The thing about these popups is they block the clock on my car's stupid touchscreen, and all radio functionality (yeah, yeah, I know no one but me uses the fucking radio anymore) until I close the window. The only way to close the window is to touch a little "cancel" button that takes up about 5% of the screen. Why in the name of god does there even need to be a cancel button? Let 100% of the screen be the cancel button! All other functionality is turned off until I close the warning anyway! It's like the car is trying to kill me. If there was a physical cancel button, pressing it would already be second nature to me, but a tiny digital button with no feedback is diabolical.

This honestly should be a government regulation thing. OR they should deregulate entirely and allow cars to look sharp and cool again. Shit or get off the pot. Cars should either be cool and dangerous, or boring and safe. Boring and dangerous is just retarded.