In a significant measure to boost passenger safety in cars, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed to make driver and front-passenger airbags mandatory for all cars sold in India. The proposed timelines for implementation are 01st April, 2021 for new models and 01st June, 2021 for existing models. The government had already mandated driver’s side airbag in all cars from 1st July 2019.
A draft notification no. GSR 797 (E) dated 28th December, 2020 to this effect has been published on the Ministry’s website. Stakeholders can now offer their comments to the government proposal within 30 days from the date of notification.
The requirements of the AIS 145 standard are applicable to M1 category vehicles in respect of the following:
- Speed alert system to alert driver in case of over speeds
- Driver and co-driver safety belt reminder
- Manual override for central locking system
- Driver airbag and co-driver airbag (passenger airbag)
M1 Category means a motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat.
The new proposal, if implemented, will increase the chances of survival of passengers during a car accident. After the implementation of new car safety norms, all cars, including the entry-level base models sold in India, will come with dual-front airbags. Hence, the price of entry-level cars will be increasing significantly.