Government proposes mandatory Airbags in new Vehicles from October 2022

In order to ensure the driver’s safety, the Government issued a draft notification to make driver airbags mandatory on all M1 category vehicles.

As per the notification released by the Ministry of Road Transport, the driver airbags will be a compulsory fitment on all Motor vehicles of category M1 manufactured on and after 1st July 2019.

What are M1 category vehicles?

M1 category vehicles are used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to the driver’s seat.

What are Airbags?

An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system that interferes between the driver and the vehicle’s dashboard during a collision, thereby preventing serious injuries.

The Ministry mandated implementation of the front Airbag for the person occupying the front seat, other than the driver, in all M1 category vehicles w.e.f  01^st  January 2022.  

In order to enhance the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it has been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.

A draft notification has been issued on 14 th January 2022, which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 1st October 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side-curtain/tube airbags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.

“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.

“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.