With the new safety norms in place, automobile manufacturers are now facing a new dilemma as they have to mandatorily provide safety features such as anti-lock braking system and airbags in their vehicles. Due to these new norms, car makers now have to upgrade their existing model designs in order to accommodate these safety features.
Car makers will now also have rework on their chassis to pass the mandatory crash test. All these changes will result in rise in cost of production by up to Rs 50,000-70,000. But will the cost conscious Indian consumer accept this rise in price?
In a country where people are ready to give up rear-view mirrors to buy get vehicles as cheap as possible, rise in prices for the addition of such safety features will not go down so well. Other than the addition of safety features, improvement in the chassis and shell of the car will also result in addition of research and development cost which will further add to the production cost which, in turn, will increase the final selling price.
Whatever the end result is, one thing is for sure, car makers will have to scrap their existing models that are not likely to pass the new safety norms. This may result in end of production of many cars. We feel that the process should be in a phased manner as a sudden implementation of such rules will result in steep rise in prices of vehicles which will in turn result in fall in demand.
Do you agree with government’s decision to implement these safety rules or would you still like to have it as an option? Share your opinion and thoughts through comments below.
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Source: ET Auto
I fully agree with the governments decision to implement these safety rules.
If you look at the way in which people drive these days its like there are no traffic rules at all to follow.
Everyone drives by their own rules.
For this very reason these safety features should be mandatory not recommendatory.
Im also interested in knowing how the Tata Nano fared in these crash tests.
Just when a mobile phone with price more than 5K was considered luxury decade ago. Now even a phone at 15K is termed at budget phone. People spend lot of money at useless things. So dont worry Suvil, this is the only way to implement security. People and car companies will shout for few days. But in long term it will have good returns to both. Automobile industry will get good business after 2-3 years of implementation. I bet.
I agree that these safety features are mandatory. It’s only gonna save more lives on Indian roads. So I think that increase in selling price justifies the safety and lives that are lost on road accidents. It’s not a problem if there is less demand for better road conditions
This is a real good decision from the government. Please install airbags and ABS on all cars and make it mandatory. People should be educated and they will go for it. Stop selling all those cars that doesn’t have these safety features.
ABS and SRS AIRBAG should be manadatory for all cars on indian roads! Espcially Anti lock brakin system!!