 "Nitin Gadkari")
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday that the government no longer intended to make six airbags mandatory for cars, in a surprise shift in stance weeks before its planned implementation.
“We don’t want to make the six airbags rule for cars mandatory,” Gadkari said at the annual convention of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association. “Now, people are cautious. Whichever models have six airbags, people may prefer to take them. It’s up to manufacturers and people to decide,” he added.
In September last year, the ministry of road transport and highways had said six airbags would be mandatory for cars in India from October 1, 2023. The ministry had said the Central Motors Vehicles Rules, 1989, would be amended to enhance safety features in vehicles.
Gadkari, however, said on Wednesday that after the introduction of the new crash test standards, known as the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), from October this year, vehicles having enhanced safety features would receive higher star ratings, consequently attracting more potential buyers.
He further noted that most car manufacturers supported the six-airbag requirement, with only one company expressing reservations, though he did not disclose the name of the company.
Renault India MD and CEO V Mamillapalle told Business Standard: “We are preparing and no matter what the regulation is, we will have the option for customers to opt for safety.”
Airbags for both front seats are mandatory in vehicles manufactured on and after April 1, 2021.
No deadline for BS7
Gadkari also urged the industry to start preparations for the next generation of emission norms, i.e. BS7 (Bharat Stage 7), in a bid to align with the upcoming Euro 7 norms, which are set to come into effect in the European Union countries from 2025. However, he did not mention a timeline for the industry to do so.
“We would consult the industry before introducing any deadline for this transition,” Gadkari said.
The Indian automobile industry jumped straight from BS4 to BS6 emission norms back in April 2020. India adopted the BS6 Phase II norms from April 1, 2023, onwards, which focus on real-time driving emissions instead of in controlled environments. All the vehicles now come with an on-board diagnostic system to monitor real-time emission levels.
