India’s highway transport ministry is pushing forward with its determination to require all passenger vehicles to have six airbags, regardless of resistance from some carmakers which say it’ll enhance the price of automobiles, a senior authorities supply informed Reuters.”
Safety is non-negotiable. The ministry is finalising the foundations, which is able to take a while to be notified,” he mentioned, with out committing to a timeline.
India in January issued draft tips requiring all new vehicles from Oct. 1 to be fitted with six airbags, together with 4 passenger airbags and two facet or curtain airbags. It was anticipated to finalise the foundations a month later however continues to be analysing suggestions from auto firms, the supply mentioned.
The feedback come per week after India’s largest carmaker informed Reuters such a rule will make small vehicles dearer and drive away some potential consumers who can not afford to shell out extra for a automobile.
Driver and entrance passenger airbags in all vehicles are already necessary.
The authorities estimates including 4 extra airbags would value not more than $75. Auto market knowledge supplier JATO Dynamics, nonetheless, estimates it may enhance prices by not less than $231.”The value implication is exaggerated. The ministry has consulted airbag makers on the associated fee and time wanted to make the elements domestically,” the particular person mentioned.
Some firms export vehicles with extra airbags however the fashions they promote in India solely meet the minimal necessities. Also, top-end variants of vehicles are sometimes fitted with 4 or extra airbags however the base fashions often have simply two, forcing individuals to pay extra for his or her security, he mentioned.
“Carmakers should provide airbags as a matter of safety, it should not have to be mandated by the government. We’re having to step up regulations because companies are not doing it on their own,” he mentioned.
The ministry estimates that having airbags, together with seat belts, would have saved the lives of not less than one-third of the 39,000 individuals who died in highway accidents in 2020 as a result of head-on or facet collisions. (Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Source: www.financialexpress.com”