Spare wheels will not be mandatory in passenger vehicles, says MoRTH

- Spare wheels will become optional for passenger vehicles beginning October 2020

- The vehicle will have to come equipped with tubeless tyres, tyre sealant and TPMS

According to a recent notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), passenger vehicles with less than eight seats will not need to carry a spare tyre. The amendment to the rule for M1 and N1 category of vehicles will come into effect for all cars manufactured after 1 October 2020.

As per the amendment, a vehicle can be exempted from the requirement of a spare wheel if it is equipped with tubeless tyres, tyre repair kit and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). While the TPMS is offered on many models across segments, it is likely to be offered as a standard feature soon.

The M1 category is applicable to vehicles with a seating capacity of up to nine occupants and weighing not more than 3.5 tonnes while the N1 category is applicable for goods vehicles weighing up to 2.5 tonnes. The new ruling is expected to bring Indian rules and regulations in line with international standards.