The Centre has no plans to impose regulations mandating six airbags in passenger vehicles since automakers have started to providing them to get a better safety rating in the Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessmen Programme), Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.
The proposed regulation was originally intended to be implemented from October 1, 2022 but the deadline was extended till October 1, 2023 at the request of the industry, which cited supply chain issues and time constraints.
Speaking at ACMA Annual Summit, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways said a better safety rating will determine the marketshare of the manufacturers. Customers are more aware and would purchase vehicles that provide safe and comfortable ride.
As of now, automakers are only mandated to provide two airbags per passenger vehicle.
Last month, Gadkari unveiled India’s own version of automotive safety assessment programme the Bharat NCAP which is aimed at improving the road safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. The programme, which is voluntary for automakers, will be implemented from October 1 and the industry has initially offered around 30 models for testing.The star ratings provided by the programme is expected to help buyers understand the quality of the product and make an informed purchase decision.