New Delhi, June 26 (BNA): India will introduce a safety rating system for passenger cars – a measure it hopes will encourage manufacturers to provide advanced safety features and boost the “export merit” of cars produced in the country.
The Ministry of Road Transport, in a statement, said it will assign a one- to five-star rating to the vehicles, based on tests assessing protection for adult and child occupants, as well as safety assistance technologies, Reuters reports.
The new system is scheduled to enter into force in April 2023.
India, which has some of the world’s deadliest roads, has proposed requiring all passenger cars to have six airbags, despite resistance from some automakers who say it would increase the cost of vehicles. Current rules require two airbags – one for the driver and one for the front passenger.
India is the fifth largest car market in the world, with annual sales of about 3 million units per year. Maruti Suzuki, which is majority owned by Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corporation, and Hyundai Motor are the two biggest selling car makers.