Minister of state for Road Transport and Highways, Pon Radhakrishnan, had announced in the Rajya Sabha recently that India would soon unveil crash test norms for passenger vehicles. He added that these would help align Indian safety regulations global standards.
The minister, during his announcement, said they would mandate the frontal offset test and the side- impact crash test norms for all passenger cars sold in India. His announcement also included the fact that the government was currently building test facilities in this regard under the National Automotive Testing and Research and Development Infrastructure Project.
Obviously, in the large scheme of things, the norms will get the green light only once the SIAM has been consulted and their support for its implementation has been fostered.
This development has come in the light of many Indian hatchbacks failing to meet Global NCAP crash test norms. While this is an alarming development, the SIAM has reacted to it by saying that the cars made in India meet the safety requirement stipulated by the Centre.
What is evident is that once the norms have been implemented, the prices of vehicles will increase significantly which, in the long run is not such a bad thing if the safety of the occupants is assured.
