Airbags to be made mandatory for nine-seat cars

CHENNAI: All models of nine-seat cars to be sold across the country from July 1, 2019 should be provided with additional safety features including airbags and speed warning system.As part of measures to improve the safety of drivers and passengers, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has amended section 3 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 which mandate that motor vehicles of category M1 (cars with nine seats) should be provided with safety features such as airbags for driver, seat-belt reminder system, manual over-ride and speed alert system and vehicle reverse gear sensor.

To this effect, the MoRTH issued notification on December 7 last and fixed July 1, 2019 as deadline for car manufacturing companies to comply with the revised norms as amended in the CMV with respect to fitting additional features in the cars.The information was revealed by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh Lal Mandavia while replying to a question in Lok Sabha recently.
According to official sources, the speed alert system would alert the speed indicator if the car speed exceeded 80 kmph and would continuously give an audio alert message when the car speed exceeds 100 kmph.

The reverse gear sensor is mainly proposed to prevent the cars from accidentally running over children and pet animals while reversing.The notification has also stated that requirements are stipulated in Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 145-2017 as amended from time to time.Currently, the safety features prescribed in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, including airbags, have been provided as additional facilities by leading car manufactures, who charge the buyers somewhere between `40,000 and `two lakh. The additional features would increase car prices by 5 to 10 per cent, said industrial sources.

However, the M-category vehicles (cars with four seats) have not been brought under the mandatory provision of airbags.J Ramanujam, a cab driver, who is also president of Thozhargal Car Ottunargal Amaippu Sara Thozhirsangam, said call-taxis have already been fitted with such safety gadgets.
“If such additional safety measures are needed to prevent accidents by higher end cars, the same norms should be extended to four-seat cars as well,” Ramanujam added.

Safety matters
• The speed alert system would alert the speed indicator if the car speed exceeds 80 kmph and continuously give an audio alert when car’s speed exceeds 100 kmph
• The reverse gear sensor, also known as parking sensor, is mainly proposed to prevent cars from accidentally running over children and pet animals while reversing
• Manual override feature helps a person to open the door without electrical power. It will come in handy during emergencies