Minimum 6 Airbags Might Be Mandatory For Cars From 1 October 2022

If passed, the new rule will be applicable for cars that can seat up to eight people

• The rule will be effective for all cars manufactured post October 1, 2022. 

• Additional four airbags will include curtain and two front side airbags. 

• Prices are expected to increase by around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. 

The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification for mandating six airbags for cars falling under M1 category. This category essentially includes cars that can seat up to eight passengers. The order will come into effect for all cars manufactured from October 1, 2022. 

The draft notification says that the M1 category cars shall be fitted with two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row, and two curtain airbags. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has already approved the draft. 

Also read: Why 6 Airbags Will Only Make A Small Impact On Improving Car Safety In India

The manufacturers will need to make the safety changes, which will increase the prices, possibly by around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. This comes in after the co-driver passenger airbag was mandated effective from April 1, 2021. 

• These 10 Cars Offer You 7 Or More Airbags Under Rs 40 Lakh

The standard safety features of any car include dual front airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, front seat belt reminders, and a speed alert system. The majority of the mass-market cars on sale offer dual front airbags as standard. In fact, there are still a lot of sub-15 lakh cars that offer dual airbags even on their top-end variants.