Govt defers mandatory 6 Airbags rule in India, Nitin Gadkari announces new DATE

Announcing the new dates for implementation of mandatory 6 airbags, Nitin Gadkari said that `safety of all passengers travelling in motor vehicles irrespective of their cost and variants is the foremost priority.`

The Government of India has postponed the implementation of mandatory six airbags rule in vehicles. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways made the announcement in a series tweets. He said that the new rule of having minimum 6 airbags in the cars will be applicable w.e.f 01st October 2023. The government had earlier issued a draft notification on January 14, 2022; which mandates that vehicles of category M1 (with upto 8 seats) manufactured after October 1, 2022, to have mandatory 6 airbags.

"Safety of all passengers travelling in motor vehicles irrespective of their cost and variants is the foremost priority," said Gadkari. "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," he further added.

Certain automakers opposed the rule to make 6 airbags mandatory in vehicles stating it will add an additional cost burden to the customers, who are already demoralized with the recent price hikes due to the rising input cost. On the other hand, few automakers started rolling out standard 6 airbags in their new vehicles.

The government issued a draft notification 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 airbags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.

"Koshish toh hai (we are trying)," said Nitin Gadkari in a conference a month ago when asked whether the government will make a minimum of six airbags mandatory in vehicles carrying up to eight passengers from October this year.

An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system that interferes between the driver and the vehicle's dashboard during a collision, thereby preventing serious injuries.