How the government’s new mandatory airbags proposal affects the consumer

On an average, adding a frontal airbag to a car, costs between Rs 5,000-8000, while a side and curtain airbag (which is included in the total count) can cost much more.

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari floated the idea that manufacturers should make a minimum of 6 airbags a standard feature on all cars sold in India. While six airbags undoubtedly improve the safety levels on a car, the move will undoubtedly put a financial strain on the consumer, particularly at the entry-level segment. Given that it can save lives, no price must be too high, right? The move, if implemented, brings up some pertinent questions.

How much would six airbags add to a car’s overall cost?

On an average, adding a frontal airbag to a car, costs between Rs 5,000-8000, while a side and curtain airbag (which is included in the total count) can cost much more. This would mean that each car sold in the small to mid-level segment would get a minimum price hike of approximately Rs 30,000 to over Rs 50000. The estimate is based on the expected price hike after the central government mandated that dual airbags be made compulsory on all cars sold in India, the date of implementation for which has been extended to December 31st, 2021.

An approximate minimum hike of Rs 30,000 - 50,000, in the likely scenario that manufacturers do not absorb a portion of the costs, the entry-level segment could be particularly affected, where such an increment would comprise a significant portion of the total price. A base-level Maruti S-Presso, for example, costs Rs 3.7 lakh (ex-showroom). Adding nearly a third of the car’s total cost to the price would undoubtedly affect sales. Not only that, but most entry-level cars would have to have their chassis RE engineered to an extent as they are not structurally designed to provide the level of safety that comes with cars featuring six airbags.

Would manufacturers be expected to absorb a portion of the cost? More importantly, would they be willing? At present, no manufacturer has released a statement, but it’s fair to assume that they are expected to bear certain costs given that the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) had released a statement following the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways mandating dual airbags. The statement said that “We (FADA) hope that OEMS should absorb the major cost of input due to the second airbag as it will impact sales in the short-term which will be bad for the industry”.

How would six airbags help in mitigating risk during a car crash?

Six airbags ensure side-impact protection, which at this point remains abysmal for those in the entry-level segment. Given that most entry-level cars in India are used as family carriers with the rear cabin frequently occupied with at least two passengers, the move would go a long way in protecting the rear passengers from both side and frontal impacts. The lack of a rear passenger airbag, in the past, has led to a higher level of fatalities in the instance that the rear passenger isn’t wearing a seat belt, as the impact with the rear seat, or a collision causing the rear passenger to be thrown out of the car, carries a high risk of fatality. It must be stated that no amount of airbags can mitigate damage if the passenger or the driver isn’t wearing a seat belt.

The benefits of having six airbags as standard

According to Piyush Tewari, founder of the SaveLIFE Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that consistently helps monitor and mitigate road related accidents, the move, if implemented, would be a welcome one. “The proposal to install six airbags in passenger cars is a welcome step and will contribute to Mr Gadkari’s plan to reduce road crash deaths in India by 50% in the next few years. It will ensure that rear seat passengers who are extremely vulnerable to injuries in a crash by colliding with the inside frame of the vehicle, are saved in the event of a crash.”

Tewari also said that the rule shouldn’t be exclusive to the makers of passenger vehicles only, pointing out the high levels of risk that commercial goods carriers are subject to. “We request the government to extend airbags to commercial goods and passenger vehicles as well, both LMV and HMV. This will save even more lives since commercial vehicles spend a lot of time on the road as compared to private vehicles.”

How many cars in India have six airbags as an option?

Contrary to popular belief six airbags aren’t exclusively offered in luxury cars. However, at the entry-to-mid-level range, all brands offer six airbags as optional extras, leaving it up to the consumer to decide whether they wish to pay the extra money for additional safety. Ford Motors India, for example, was one of the first brands to offer six airbags as optional, with the Ford Figo being the most affordable car to feature six airbags with prices starting from Rs 6.65 lakh.

At present, several cars including Ford Figo (Titanium Blu), Hyundai i20, Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Venue , Kia Sonet from the compact hatch/crossover segment all the way upto the Hyundai Creta, Mahindra XUV and the Hyundai Elantra in the mid-size SUV/sedan segment come with six airbags. Cars priced above Rs 20 lakh are not included on this list, because at that price, six airbags should come as standard.

What is the minimum airbag count in other countries?

The United States of America passed a Federal law back in 1988 which made a driver airbag compulsory for all cars sold in the country. In 1998 the country passed a law that required all cars and light trucks sold in the United States have airbags on both sides of the front seats. Till date, there is no law that enforces six airbags as standard, although in most developed, highly industrialised nations, average car safety levels are much higher than they are in India. And given that India accounts for 10 per cent of the world’s on-road fatalities, most developed countries offer much safer driving conditions.

According to German mobility magazine Bubgeldkatalog, airbags are not mandatory by law in Germany (a country with some of the safest and most advanced cars in the world). Although not mandatory, almost all new vehicles are equipped with a minimum of one airbag, especially small. This is largely due to the fact that unlike seatbelts, airbags have proven to be controversial when it comes to providing safety with only recent developments having made them safer. In the past rapid deployment of airbags had proven to cause greater damage, particularly to child occupants, and therefore the jury always remained out. The height, weight and position of the driver and occupants during the impact play a great role in determining how effective an airbag can be.