“The star rating has already started. Some companies are now advertising the same (six airbags), and they are reaping the benefits, they will get more share. Barring one company, the market has accepted the decision,” Gadkari said at the 63rd ACMA Annual Session, in New Delhi.
“Customers are cautious, people will prefer cars with six airbags. So companies and the people will decide,” he said. Companies which are not providing six airbags will face problems as far as sales are concerned, he said.
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The star rating would be based on the recently launched Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme), which is aimed at improving road safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. Bharat NCAP will be implemented from October 1, 2023. Under the programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their vehicles tested as per the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197. Based on the performance of the car in the tests, the vehicle will be awarded star ratings on a scale of 0-5, for adult occupants (AOP) and child occupants (COP).
The government in September 2022 announced that the deadline for mandatory implementation of six airbags in a passenger car has been pushed back by a year, i.e., with effect from October 01, 2023.
Justifying his original intent, Gadkari in 2022 had claimed that decisions were taken for mandating six airbags in cars. “A lot of our companies are exporting their vehicles from India with six airbags. But when the same vehicles are sold in India, they have just four airbags. Is there no value of life for the people of our country?” he said.
However, the deadline for adhering to the law was extended due to global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario.
Two airbags – one each for the driver and front passenger – are already mandatory. But the proposal for more airbags to be fitted had faced resistance, with Maruti Suzuki saying it could drive up prices and deter buyers. The government last year estimated that the addition of four more airbags would cost no more than $75 per vehicle, but auto market data provider JATO Dynamics said it would raise costs by at least $231.