Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways in a meeting with a senior delegation from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) proposed that all manufacturers install six airbags across all their models and variants to make Indian cars safer.
The SIAM delegation had met the minister to request extension of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms by a year.
For an industry already reeling under multiple pressures – be it addressing the semiconductors shortage or working on BS-VI Phase-II implementation and CAFE norms – carmakers have not been able to function at full throttle. At such a time, the minister’s proposal of installing six airbags across all models and variants have fetched mixed reactions from the auto sector.
No one denies the importance of airbags, and there is no debate how they would help make vehicles and passengers safer. But installing six airbags is not as easy as installing an air purifier that makes the air cleaner inside the cabin. It is much more complex engineering work that requires time, money, research, and development.
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Moreover, one must consider – from the purview of Indian road conditions – whether having six airbags in a car is a “nice to have” feature or a “must have” feature.
To understand this, Mobility Outlook spoke to half a dozen stakeholders directly or indirectly related to the business of airbags along with many car manufacturers to get insights on the use case of six airbags in the Indian context.
India unlike many other markets
The Indian car market is one of the most unique markets in the world, where small cars contribute over 50% of the total sales, as per recent data released by SIAM. These cars are priced between INR three to eight lakh and are usually bought by first-time buyers, who upgrade themselves from a two-wheeler.
On the other hand, an entry-level car like a Chevrolet Spark in global markets like the USA starts from $13,400 (INR 9.99 lakh). In fact, Suzuki's entry-level hatchback Alto is priced at JPY 913,420 (INR 6.14 lakh) in Japan, twice that of its Indian version.
Industry leaders say there is a wide gap between the Indian car market and developed markets, not just in terms of offerings but the consumer base itself is very different. However, India is already at par when it comes to crash norms (offset and side-impact tests) and giving standard dual airbags for drivers and co-passengers.
Installing six airbags would not just add to the cost of the car, it will also lead to re-development and re-designing of car structures which will not just increase the R&D cost but will also lead to the price hike of entry-level models by at least 15%, experts said.
Multiple costs attached
A leading component player supplying airbags to the top car manufacturers, on the condition of anonymity, informed Mobility Outlook that having additional airbags will increase the cost anywhere between INR 80,000 to INR 120,000. It is not just about inserting the airbag inside the car but a lot of electronics such as sensors, wiring, and electronic control units (ECU) that need to react in milliseconds, need to be installed. At the same time, a lot of engineering work has to be done to install airbags in the rear seat, B-pillar, and roof.
Likewise, a leading engineer of a carmaker, who wished not to be named said the first and foremost safety equipment in any car is a seat belt, which if used and adhered to properly can reduce car fatalities by 55%, and then airbags add to an additional 15% of the safety.
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“In India, there are two types of crash tests – offset and side-impact tests – which are met by all cars available for sale. Also, nowhere in the world, six airbags are mandatory. Tests are done on the strength of car structures,” he argued.
Even in mature markets like the USA, there is a law only for dual airbags for drivers and co-passengers, which was passed in 1998. Similarly, in Germany airbags are not even mandatory by law. However, all new vehicles come with a minimum of one airbag.
Experts say, unlike seatbelts, airbags as safety equipment have been doubtful as its effectiveness depends upon various factors: speed of the vehicle, level of impact and sensors, etc. Sometimes, rapid deployment has also caused injuries to passengers.
What should be prioritised?
To make cars safer in India, experts believe the first step should be the use of high tensile strength steel to produce car structures. It will not produce stronger cars but also allow car manufacturers to export them.
One of the industry leaders pointed out that carmakers are already under pressure from commodity prices, which have seen an uneven rise. Moreover, the implementation of BS-VI and other safety norms have already made cars 10% dearer. Adding airbags will further add to the burden. He said the industry would like to install more airbags, but the timing is just not right.
In India currently, about 133 variants from mainstream brands are equipped with six airbags, according to JATO Dynamics.
Let’s get some perspective. The cheapest car in the Indian market is the Alto STD variant priced at INR 3 lakh, whereas the cheapest car offering six airbags is the Ford Figo Aspire Titanium+ variant priced at INR 7 lakh. The wide gap in price clearly points out that it wouldn’t be easy for manufacturers to sell these entry level cars, even if they introduce six airbags in them.
Even cars in the INR 10 lakh plus segment do not offer six airbags as standard, when we talk about mass car brands.
Enhancing road safety in the Indian context is absolute priority. Airbags are an important component in vehicles, but there are other important factors that needs equal, if not more attention – such as the use of seat belts, check on higher speeds, road conditions and rash driving – to curb the menace of road related accidents, injuries and fatalities.