The road transport and highways ministry issued new guidelines for carmakers. Now carmakers will have to provide Safety Features like airbags, seatbelt reminder system, speed-warning systems and vehicle reverse gear sensors for child pedestrian safety as standard equipment from October 2017.

The move will ensure that Indian cars will follow the global path as far as safety parameters are concerned. The government has also asked comments from the auto companies for the same. “These four safety features would be mandatory for all car models.

The road transport and highways ministry issued a draft notification on Wednesday for new guidelines. Speed alert will warn vehicles if they exceed 80 km per hour and then a continuous audio alert if speed exceeds 100 kmph.

The government is planing to set up its own safety authority, Bharat National Car Assessment Programme (NCAP). NCAP will rate vehicles on safety parameters. India will also have a rating system for cars based on fuel efficiency. Bharat NCAP will also mandate the front of the vehicle be designed in such a way that injury to pedestrians is minimized.

The road transport and highways ministry has set deadline of October 2017 for new model cars to pass minimum frontal and side crash tests besides pedestrian protection tests. The frontal crash tests will be at 64 kmph, while the speed norm set for side crash tests is 50 kmph.