Rule Mandating Six Airbags On Cars Deferred By A Year To Oct 2023, Citing Supply Chain Issues

A proposal by the union government to make a minimum of six airbags mandatory in all passenger cars, which was to come into effect from 1 October 2022 has been deferred by a year.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced the extension of the deadline to have at least six airbags in eight-seater vehicles by a year.

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Safety of passengers is the priority

"Safety of all passengers travelling in motor vehicles irrespective of their cost and variants is the foremost priority. Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w.e.f 01st October 2023," Gadkari said on Twitter.

Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w.e.f 01st October 2023.

¡ª Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) September 29, 2022

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in a statement said that in order to enhance the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it has been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.

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"A draft notification has been issued on January 14, 2022, which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after October 1, 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions," it had said.

Small cars also need airbags

Last year, Gadkari had said small cars, mostly purchased by lower middle-class people, should also have an adequate number of airbags and had wondered why automakers are providing eight airbags only in big cars bought by rich people.

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However, automakers had expressed apprehension about this citing the increase in the price of the vehicles, in the highly price-conscious segment.

Airbags and seatbelts can save lives

The lack of airbags and the reluctance to wear seatbelts, especially by passengers in the back seats are blamed for the high number of death in India in road accidents.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, more than 1.55 lakh lives were lost in road crashes across India in 2021.

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Mistry's death puts airbags and seatbelts back in focus

The issue of seatbelts and airbags had recently triggered a lot of debates in India following the death of former Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry who died in a car crash in Maharashtra earlier this month.

Mistry who was seated in the rear seat of the Mercedes car was not wearing a seat belt when the speeding car met with the accident.

Even though the car had six airbags, they only get activated if the passenger is wearing a seatbelt.

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