NEW DELHI: All private vehicles carrying up to eight persons will now have six airbags. Union Minister of Transport Nitin Gadkari has approved a draft gazette notification which will make six airbags compulsory.
The move is aimed at enhanced passenger safety. It is likely to result into cost escalation of vehicles. The new regulation making side curtain airbags mandatory for new vehicles will ensure safety for the occupants in case of side impacts.
This move was under deliberation over a few months. Earlier, two airbags — one for the driver seat and another for the other front seat — were made mandatory in July 2019 and January 2022, respectively. Now, four additional airbags are mandated, including two side and torso airbags and two side curtain or tube airbags covering all outboard passengers. Gadkari informed this via tweets on Friday.
“In order to enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles carrying upto eight passengers, I have now approved a Draft GSR Notification to make a minimum of six Airbags compulsory,” Gadkari said.
Adding a frontal airbag to a car costs between Rs 5,000-8000, while a side and curtain airbag (which is included in the total count) can cost much more. This would translate into an increase of nearly Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 in the prices of small to mid-level segment vehicles.
