Will installing additional airbags increase the cost of vehicles? What are the international precedents for such a move?
Will installing additional airbags increase the cost of vehicles? What are the international precedents for such a move?
the story So Far: The Government of India has proposed to install six airbags in all passenger vehicles to enhance the safety of the riders. The proposal was made public on January 14 this year, seeking comments and objections from all stakeholders within a period of 30 days.
Summary
The government has proposed to install six airbags in all passenger vehicles (M1 category) to enhance the safety of the riders.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that these airbags will be positioned on the seats or sides at designated places inside the vehicle. Deployment of inflatable airbags in the mentioned position will help reduce injuries to the torso area or eject the rider from the vehicle.
Automobile market analyst JATO Dynamics said installing four additional airbags in vehicles would increase its cost by Rs 17,600.
What does the offer say?
The General Statutory Rules (GSR) notification states that all M1 class vehicles manufactured after October 1 this year must come with two side fuselage air bags in the front row in outboard seating position. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that it will be positioned on the seats or sides at the designated place inside the vehicle. It added that the deployment of inflatable airbags in the mentioned position would help reduce injuries to the torso region or eject the rider from the vehicle. In addition, the notification asks for curtain or tube air bags to be fitted to cushion the entire outer edges of the vehicle. In the event of a rollover or accident, this will help reduce head injury. The notification states that the requirement of such airbags shall be verified in compliance with the AIS-099 standards which pertain to the safety of the occupants in the event of a lateral collision in a vehicle.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, while replying to the motion in Rajya Sabha, had said, “It has been notified to enhance the safety of the vehicle riders. In the event of a lateral collision, the side/fuselage airbags act as a cushion between the vehicle’s body and its occupants and absorb the energy of the impact. He added that this move will ultimately ensure the safety of passengers in all segments, irrespective of the cost/variant of the vehicle.
What are the past laws on air bags?
The ministry had earlier made it mandatory for vehicles manufactured after April 1 last year to deploy airbags for the passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, next to the driver. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for its implementation was extended till December 31, 2021.
“It is mandatory as an important safety feature, and it is also based on the suggestions of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety,” Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar said in the Lok Sabha in December last year.
How will the prices of vehicles be affected?
Automobile market analyst JATO Dynamics told Reuters That the installation of four additional airbags in the vehicles would increase its cost by ₹17,600. “In some cases, the cost may be higher as companies will need to make engineering changes to the car’s structure to accommodate the additional airbags,” said Jato Dynamics India President. Reuters, Furthermore, the news agency reported that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has asked the ministry to “review and reconsider”, noting that “side and curtain bags are not mandatory anywhere else in the world”.
Shri Gadkari had said in the recently concluded budget session of the Lok Sabha that the automobile industry is upset over the announcement, citing increase in the price of vehicles. “…if a poor person dies, let him die and save the rich man, right?” “So, from now on, any economic model … the smallest, even the nano model, will have six airbags in every car, to save lives,” he said.
He said the fixed cost of an air bag would be determined by market forces and the volume of production. The Union Minister said that the estimated variable cost of four airbags (two side air bags and two curtain air bags) could vary between ₹5,600 and ₹7,000.
Will this move ensure safety in the event of a collision?
According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), frontal air bags saved 50,457 lives between 1987 and 2017—enough to fill a major league baseball stadium. Airbags were added to prevent the passenger’s upper body or head from colliding with the interior of the vehicle during an accident. The transport regulatory body says that commuters should also make sure to fasten their seat belts on the roads. In the recently concluded parliamentary session, Mr Gadkari said that in 2020, 8,598 lives could have been saved in a one-on-one collision with the use of airbags. “Similarly, 14,271 people lost their lives in side collisions and 31% or 4,424 of those lives could have been saved with the use of side airbags”, he said.
The minister had apprised the lower house in March that the government was adopting a multi-pronged strategy to address issues related to road safety on the basis of education, engineering (both road and vehicle), enforcement and emergency care. With regard to vehicle engineering, Shri Gadkari informed the House that with regard to compliance with airbags, anti-braking system (ABS), tyres, crash tests, speed limiting devices and fire alarm and security systems, safety for automobiles The standards have been improved. ,
Additionally, he reminded the House about the February 15 notification, which laid down norms for the safety of children below four years of age, riding or being carried on a motorbike. It specified the use of a safety harness, crash helmet and limiting the upper speed limit to 40 kmph. He also referred to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 which prescribed strict penalties to prevent violation of traffic rules and ensure strict enforcement.