Air Bag for Co-Driver to become Mandatory from June, 2021

New Delhi, 30/12: Co-driver Airbag is going to be mandatory from June 1, 2021, according to a government notification.

According to a draft notification, dated December 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, a co-driver airbag should be compulsorily fitted in all the new models manufactured in India from April 1, 2021, and the existing ones produced here from June 1, 2021.

“… vehicles manufactured on and after 1st day of April 2021, in the case of new models, and 1st day of June 2021, in the case of existing models, shall be fitted with airbag for the person occupying the front seat, other than the driver,” the draft notification said.

“The requirement for such airbag shall be as per AIS 145, as amended from time to time, till the corresponding Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016,” the notification added.

An airbag for co-driver is an optional feature for many lower-end variant in India.