Airbag - A luxury or safety feature?

Hi, Pratik

All very valid questions. I would like to learn about these too. Can you post this on a separate thread so your questions receive the attention they deserve?  I fear your question is getting lost since you are at the end of a different discussion.

Thanks and glad to you know you're unhurt!

Actually Pratik had started a new thread also - have a look at the discussions.

Dont blame the manufacturers alone - we also need to look at the market and the regulator are doing.

Check out the sales of every vehicle that offers Airbags as an option or as standard kit in one of their variants - you will find that the airbag equipped version does the least and most negligible sales.  In fact all such manufacturers could stop manufacturing the version and not miss the sales these variants generate.

Airbags cost money.  Our market is more interested in paisa wasool then anything else - when the market is ready to pay the premium for better safety, I'm sure the manufacturers will provide these as standard.  Our market is cut throat - people start comparing features even for a Rs.20,000/- price differential, which on a Rs.5 lakh vehicle is not even 5% and therefore negligible. 

Again, the regulator is least interested in pushing these basic safety norms.  This was the case with seat belts too, where manufacturers provided seatbelts only on certain models until they became mandatory.  Today you cannot think of sitting inside a car without a seatbelt (there still are exceptional morons to that rule) - was this the case say 10 years ago?

Therefore lets not blame the manufacturers.  Their job is to service the market.  If the market does not place a premium on safety, why blame them?

we should appreciate ABS and airbags at any rate. science is not going end .. if we take interest in these tools .. more new research , most efficient technology will take place and these technologies will be better day by day..

neither govt, nor manufacturer or not even sale persons ( sir, there are many cars in india running without ABS and airbags so you do not need..  ) and not even us are interested in these features ..

some says: no need of airbags in small cars .. I asked: small cars do not carry lives ??

I still remember an accident of my friend's uncle (6-7 years before) . he was driving ambassador (such a heavy car) and the steering was pentrated in his chest and he died in 24 hours . I used to watch hollywood movies and was thinking why not these kind of things in india ? and now these are luckily available we do not consider them .

and as far as "sir, there are many cars in india running without ABS and airbags so you do not need.. " this line is concerned no need to say that we just scare to do something little extra .. we love readymade patterns .. I leave "thinking" to others and others do the same.