Deadline for airbag provision in existing models extended to December 31, 2021

MoRTH has extended the deadline for providing dual front airbags in existing models.

● MoRTH is committed to providing the highest levels of road safety in India.● It has ruled that all new and existing car models should be fitted with dual front airbags.● While April 01, 2021, was the deadline for new models, the same has been extended to December 31, 2021, for existing cars.

Ensuring road safety is one of the paramount responsibilities of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Therefore, MoRTH stipulated in March 2021 that all new cars should necessarily roll out with dual airbags in the front row. The deadline for the same was April 01, 2021. In addition, the existing car models should be fitted with at least one airbag for the driver.

The pandemic has thrown the entire industry out of gear. Hence, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) sought some time from the Government to implement the rule on existing car models. The Government has acceded to their request and has extended the deadline for existing vehicles to December 31, 2021.

This extension will give some breathing space to car manufacturers and remodel existing car models' designs. However, remodeling the cars and fitting them with airbags could result in a price rise. This extension will be helpful for entry-level cars to provide the minimum levels of road safety as suggested by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety. The notification further adds that the airbags should satisfy AIS 145 standards under BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) specifications.