In a draft notification issued on Friday, the Ministry said that it has been decided to enhance safety features of occupants of motor vehicles against lateral impact by making six airbags mandatory in all M1 category vehicles.
(Representational Image: iStock)
In order to enhance the safety of car passengers, the Government is going to make six airbags compulsory for category M1 vehicles from October 1, 2022, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said here on Saturday.
In a draft notification issued on Friday, the Ministry said that it has been decided to enhance safety features of occupants of motor vehicles against lateral impact by making six airbags mandatory in all M1 category vehicles.
M1 vehicle category refers to passenger cars with a maximum of eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat and includes hatchbacks, sedans, MUVs and SUVs. “It has been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989. The new rule would make it mandatory for all category M1 Vehicles manufactured after October 1 this year to fit two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions,” said a senior officer of the Road Transport Ministry.
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He said the “Side/side torso airbag” means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the seats or side structure of the vehicle interior, and that is designed to deploy in a side impact crash to help mitigate primarily torso injury and/or occupant ejection, for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions.
Similarly, the “Side curtain/tube air bag” means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the side structure of the vehicle interior, and that is designed to deploy in a side impact crash or rollover to help mitigate primarily head injury and/or occupant ejection for the persons occupying the outboard seating positions.
Earlier the government had asked vehicle manufacturers to fit at least two air bags for the person occupying the front seat and for the driver for all the cars manufactured after January 1, 2022.
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