New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways may make it mandatory for airbags to be provided for the passenger seat in front. A draft notification issued by the Ministry of Transport and Highways to amend the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) which deals with safety features in vehicles, proposes that airbags must be made mandatory for passenger seats in cars. The timelines for implementation are 1st April 2021 for new models and 1st June 2021 for existing models.

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The notification says, 'The requirement for such airbag shall be AIS 145 as amended from time to time till the corresponding Bureau of India Standards (BIS) specifications are notified under Bureau of Indian Standards Act.'

A Times of India report quoted a government official saying, "There is a consensus across the globe that vehicles should have maximum features to protect the occupants in case of a crash. We have also made it clear that there won't be any compromise on safety features irrespective of the cost."

While low-cost inclusions such as speed alert, reverse parking sensors, and seat-belt reminders have become standard features in most cars but life-saving airbags are still not mandatory. This move could increase the price of entry-level cars by Rs 5,000-8,000, the proposed timelines are short and will put pressure on the production and supply chains.
The government had made airbags mandatory for the driver's seat in all cars. This rule had come into effect on July 1, 2019.
The draft has a 30 day expiry period under this time, any objections can be sent to the Joint Secretary.

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