All the car manufacturer will have to incorporate airbags, speed-warning systems, rear parking sensors for child pedestrian safety and seatbelt reminder system as a standard equipment from October 2017. Earlier, we informed you that the government is taking some actions against road safety where it the future cars will be employed with these safety concerned features, but it was not clear as to when it will be made mandatory in the vehicles.
This initiation will ensure that Indian cars are on par in terms of safety with those sold globally. The government has also asked from the auto manufacturers for the same, where these four safety features would be mandatory for all car models.
For safety concern, the government has planned to set up its own safety authority, Bharat National Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) that will rate vehicles for safety. The country will also have a rating system for passenger cars on the basis of fuel efficiency as well. The Indian safety authority will also mandate the frontal design of the vehicle in such a way that injury to pedestrians could be minimised.
Speaking to Economic Times a senior government said, “These four safety features would be mandatory for all car models. A timeline has been set for the auto companies that they would have to abide by.”
Currently, there are few carmakers that provide airbags and ABS in their entry level models. As per the government’s estimation, by including these two features, an additional 10% will be added to the cost of the base model.
Ministry of road transport and highways has set October 2017 as the deadline for all the new model cars and to pass minimum frontal and side crash tests along with pedestrian protection tests. The front collision crash tests will be carried at 64 kmph, while the side crash the speed norm has been set at 50 kmph.