The BYD Shark 6 and Audi Q7 have earned impressive Euro NCAP crash test ratings, with physical controls proving a major driver of their full-mark results…
Euro NCAP’s latest safety assessments show how conventional physical controls directly improve vehicle safety. Both the Audi Q7 and BYD Shark 6 achieved five-star safety ratings under the current testing procedures. Euro NCAP has long maintained the fitment of physical buttons (for operating basic tasks) is safer than having to navigate sub-menus on digital screens. As a result, it has updated its testing protocols to reward cars with well-placed physical switches for essential functions. In contrast, vehicles that rely heavily on central touchscreens run a higher risk of driver distraction.
Audi scores highly for physical dashboard controls
With this new metric, Audi achieved a 90% overall score for the Q7’s driving controls. The luxury SUV earned a full 100% score for essential primary functions, alongside an 80% mark for comfort and infotainment systems. By using clear, ergonomically positioned physical buttons and traditional control stalks, the Q7 lets drivers operate basic features manually without taking their eyes off the road.
This layout contrasts sharply with some competitors. For instance, Chinese manufacturer Xpeng scored only 20% in the driving control category, owing to heavy touchscreen integration. European automakers generally lead the trend towards physical controls. The BMW iX3 matched Audi with a 100% control score, while the Geely E2 scored 80%.
Safety experts confirm that withholding basic functions inside touchscreen menus leads to unnecessary driver distraction. Physical controls keep basic operations intuitive, safe, and easy to access.
BYD Shark 6 and Audi Q7 earn five-star crash test ratings
The Q7 secured its overall five-star rating through excellent crash protection and forward-thinking driver assistance systems. Its lane departure system actively monitors driver attentiveness and adjusts warning severity based on driver focus. The vehicle also delivered impressive occupant protection across frontal, side, and pole impact assessments.
The BYD Shark 6 achieved its five-star rating based on Australasian NCAP data, supplemented by Euro NCAP frontal offset and barrier impact tests. Despite a post-test penalty after a side curtain airbag failed to deploy correctly, the double-cab bakkie showed effective driver assistance technology and strong structural crash protection.
The Kia EV2 crossover/SUV earned a five-star rating, supported by a driver monitoring system that calibrates lane departure alerts to the driver’s distraction level. Finally, the Mazda2 Hybrid rounded out the test group by maintaining a four-star rating, carried over from the car on which it is based, the Toyota Yaris
