Drowsiness alerts, emergency braking must in 8-seater cars from 2026
What's the story
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has announced a major upgrade in vehicle safety standards.
According to the ministry's notification, all new passenger vehicles meant to carry eight occupants or more, will have to offer Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS), Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning Systems (DDAWS), and Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS).
The rules will come into effect from April 2026.
Compliance timeline
Existing models to comply by October 2026
For existing vehicles, the new safety standards will come into force from October next year.
Apart from AEBS, DDAWS, and LDWS, buses and trucks in India will also need an onboard blind-spot monitoring system.
This system will detect and alert drivers about pedestrians and cyclists who may be in their blind spots.
The new regulations seek to improve road safety by tackling potential hazards that could cause accidents.
Additional requirements
Vehicle stability functions also required
All mini and regular buses and trucks manufactured after the aforementioned deadlines will have to come with vehicle stability functions.
This is part of a major overhaul of the Motor Vehicle Rules proposed by MoRTH.
The inclusion of these safety features and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has been made compulsory in a bid to make vehicles safer on Indian roads.
Technology
AEBS, DDAS, and LDWS explained
AEBS can detect potential forward collisions and applies brakes automatically if the driver doesn't respond quickly.
DDAWS keeps a check on the driver's alertness by analyzing factors like steering movements, lane position, and facial tracking. If it detects drowsiness in the driver - a common cause of fatal accidents - it issues audio warnings.
Finally, LDWS alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane, giving visual/auditory alerts for corrective action.