New safety norms for vehicle manufacturers under discussion

Lane departure warning system, advanced break alert system and accident emergency call system are certain new regulatory norms for vehicle manufacturers that are under discussion, informed a top official in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in an ASSOCHAM road safety webinar.

“AIS 145 safety norms, speed alert system, seatbelt reminder, manual override, airbags for resistance, vehicle reverse sensors all of these are already in place, few more things that may come in future are - lane departure warning system, advance alert braking system, accident emergency call system are certain things under discussion as of now,” said Reji Mathai, director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises at an ASSOCHAM Webinar on ‘Safer Mobility and Responsible Behaviour of Road Users.’

Vehicle Safety Perceptions

Mathai also said that more robust certification mechanisms are the need of the hour as cheap versions of seatbelts, clamps and other such components, which may not be certified are available in the market and it is required to address such challenges.

Spare parts’ market players recently while discussing the PLI scheme talked about the gap and that although India is a major market but none of the key global suppliers of spares are making it their home and that it is still not an export hub but just meeting its own requirements. It is a very crucial aspect, especially when safety comes into play, he noted.

Sharing his perspective in the ASSOCHAM webinar, D K Bhardwaj, deputy commissioner of police (Traffic), Gurugram said that while as of now CCTV cameras are being used to keep a vigil on traffic violators in the city, in future drones will be used for traffic surveillance.

“We will fit moulded equipment in traffic police vehicles and an eye would be kept on traffic violators with the help of a control room,” the DCP said.

Due to Covid-19 pandemic, fatal accidents in the millennium city reduced by almost 25 per cent compared to the previous year. “There is a Road Safety Knowledge Centre under the aegis of DCP Traffic, Gurugram which takes initiatives to create awareness about traffic rules and regulations, besides camps for students and workshops for auto rickshaw, truck drivers are also organised at a regular interval,” he said.

“We also take help of NGOs and the public in this regard. This year we organised Road Safety Month to spread awareness at community level in malls and public places to sensitise them about traffic rules and guidelines,” Bhardwaj said.

He also suggested that body wearable cameras should be made mandatory for traffic policemen as it would help keep a check on violations to a great extent.