Законодательно закрепить минимальный набор механических кнопок для управления автомобилем предложили в РФ

New car safety standards may appear in Russia, requiring manufacturers to equip cars with physical buttons to control key functions. This proposal was made at a round table in the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, dedicated to innovations in automotive safety. Experts are confident that touch screens that replace traditional keys distract drivers, increasing the risk of accidents.

Modern cars are increasingly resembling gadgets: multimedia systems with large displays control climate control, heated seats and even lighting. However, as Vladimir Korobchak, Deputy Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Motorists, noted, the driver has to be distracted from the road to perform simple tasks, which reduces safety.

Now the car is increasingly reminiscent of a smartphone or some other gadget. The traffic rules strictly prohibit the driver from using the phone while driving, as this distracts him. But the multimedia screen is essentially the same smartphone. The driver should not be distracted at speed and look on the display for how to change the direction of air or turn on the heated seats.

Vladimir Korobchak, Deputy Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Motorists

Valery Soldunov, a member of the Public Chamber, supported the idea, pointing out that physical buttons allow you to control the car intuitively, without being distracted from driving. Experts proposed to enshrine in regulatory documents a minimum set of functions that should be controlled by traditional keys, such as turning on headlights, windshield wipers or adjusting the temperature.

Alexander Kholodov, Deputy Chairman of the OP RF Security Commission, noted that modern cars are equipped with radars, lidars and cameras that collect data about the road and the driver's condition. These systems require regulation, he noted.

Modern cars are equipped with radars, lidars, cameras, and often, when the driver cannot see markings or a sign due to weather conditions, they distinguish them and warn the driver or even take some measures themselves. Moreover, given digitalization, these systems even know about signs or restrictions, being hundreds of kilometers away from them.

Alexander Kholodov, Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Security and Interaction with the PMC of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation

He also added that automatic systems are only assistants on the road and the driver should not forget about his role when driving a car:

We should not forget that it is the driver who should dominate the control of the car: all these systems, including autonomous control systems, do not replace, but only help and complement it.

Alexander Kholodov, Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Security and Interaction with the PMC of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation

At the same time, cybersecurity issues were in the spotlight. In connection with the active use of electronic and digital driver assistants, including autonomous control systems, it is already important to think about the cybersecurity of the car, says Grigory Mazlumyan, Vice-Rector for Research at the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University.

We need to understand who will be the moderator of the digital platform where data on roads and infrastructure will be uploaded and with the help of which cars will be able to inform the driver about situations on the road and exchange information with each other in the near future. This should be state regulation - otherwise, if such data is concentrated in the hands of a company, there is a risk that they will end up abroad and a collapse will occur.

Grigory Mazlumyan, Vice-Rector for Research at the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University

However, not all experts consider the introduction of mandatory buttons to be realistic. Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem magazine, noted that changing the design and production cycles for the Russian market may be difficult for automakers.

There is a certain interior design, there are certain technological cycles of car production. Finding some place for separate buttons in the car interior specifically for our country, as well as changing the cycle at the factory is almost impossible.

Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem magazine

Instead, he suggested using an approach similar to Euro NCAP, where cars with touch interfaces receive lower safety ratings. In Russia, this can be implemented through the RuNCAP program.

Active safety technologies, such as collision warning or driver fatigue monitoring systems, continue to develop. For example, in China, cars already “know” the road infrastructure, but in Russia such systems are still limited due to insufficient digitalization of the road network.

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