The central government has brought forward a key proposal with the aim of reducing road accidents. It intends to make the 'Automatic Emergency Braking System' (AEBS), which is part of the 'Advanced Driver Assistance System' (ADAS), mandatory in cars. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed to bring regulations to ensure that this system is present in all cars of the M1 category from October 1, 2032. In this regard, a draft notification has been issued with amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules-1989. The public can express their views and objections on this within 30 days.

How does AEBS work?
The AEBS system automatically applies the brakes if the driver detects a danger ahead and does not brake in time. This is intended to avoid an accident or reduce the severity of the damage in the event of a collision. 

According to the draft, from October 1, 2028, M1 category cars and N1 category light goods vehicles equipped with AEBS will have to comply with AIS-185 standards. This system will be mandatory in newly manufactured M1 cars from October 1, 2030. 

From October 1, 2032, this provision will apply to all M1 cars, including models already in production. Vehicles with a maximum of 8 passenger seats including the driver will come under the M1 category. General passenger cars such as hatchback cars, sedans, SUVs, and MUVs will fall under this category.

Regulations for steering and lane keeping systems
It is proposed to implement the standards related to the steering system in motor vehicles as per AIS-193 from October 1, 2027. However, motorcycles without steering wheels, vehicles designed for the disabled and three-wheelers will be exempted. M1 cars with Automatic Command Steering Functionalities (ACSF) will also have to comply with the relevant standards. 

AIS-191 (Part 1) standards will apply to vehicles with Emergency Lane Keeping System (ELKS). It has been proposed to make ACSF and ELKS systems mandatory in M1 cars registered as transport vehicles from October 1, 2029. There is a proposal to introduce systems to detect driver drowsiness and alertness and warn them.

Safety features for trucks and buses
The center has also proposed several changes to increase the safety of commercial vehicles. Starting in January 2027, new truck and bus models will be required to have automatic emergency braking, blind spot information, warnings when the vehicle starts moving, driver drowsiness detection, and lane departure warning technology. 

It has been proposed to implement revised braking standards for trucks along with electronic stability control (ESC) from October 1, 2027. The draft also states that the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system should be made mandatory in all newly manufactured vehicles from October 1, 2028. Through this technology, vehicles can share information such as their speed, location, and direction of travel with each other. 

The center will finalize the final regulations after considering the opinions and objections received from the public.