Dumbphones? Try dumbcars! Safety experts call for cars to go 'back to basics' – as they warn high–tech features can prove DEADLY

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From touchscreen consoles to hidden door handles, most new cars today are packed with high–tech features. While these futuristic tools might make you feel like James Bond out on the road, car safety experts have now warned that many of them can prove deadly.

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Hidden or pop–up door handles first made an appearance with the Tesla Model S in 2012. When car safety researchers talk about distraction, they describe it as having three aspects: visual, manual, or cognitive. Likewise, in Australia and New Zealand, the car safety assessment program ANCAP Safety has announced that it will ask manufacturers to 'bring back buttons' from 2026.

Source: Daily Mail February 08, 2026 18:09 UTC