India’s mass-market automakers aim to make six airbags the new standard for automobiles and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). The third-largest vehicle market in the world’s changing consumer preferences and market dynamics are partly to blame for this.
Six airbags, once exclusive to high-end and luxury vehicles, are swiftly establishing themselves as the new standard for four-wheelers in India. According to an article in the Economic Times, the nation’s mass automobile manufacturers are changing due to market realities and shifting consumer attitudes.
Last month, the government made it clear that six airbags were not required (just two airbags are required in India), leaving it up to the customer to compare safety when purchasing vehicles.
Road safety has received more attention, and demand for safer automobiles has increased. To that purpose, the government launched the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme on October 1, establishing the first national guidelines for local vehicle manufacturing regarding crash testing.
India ranks among the top countries in the world for road accidents while having only 1% of the world’s automobile population.
Last Tuesday, Hyundai Motor India announced that all of its cars in the nation would now come standard with six airbags.
Last Tuesday, Hyundai Motor India announced that all of its cars in the nation would now come standard with six airbags. Although the Indian government has stated that six airbags are not required for passenger automobiles, the country’s car manufacturers are being pressured to make it the standard. According to the report, the automaker’s share of six-airbag models increased throughout its whole product line from 34% in 2021 to 66% in 2023.
The paper cited a recent NIQ Bases study to demonstrate how consumers regarded safety as the most crucial consideration when purchasing an automobile. According to the study, the top two features for nine out of ten buyers when buying a car were the number of airbags and the scores from crash tests. According to the report, fuel economy, which was formerly the most desired quality for mass-market vehicles, has dropped to third place.
According to the survey, consumers consider safety to be the most important aspect when purchasing a car, as demonstrated by a recent NIQ Bases study. According to the study, for nine out of ten people looking to purchase a car, crash test ratings and the quantity of airbags were the top two attributes. According to the report, fuel economy, which once had the third-most popularity among mass-market car features, has dropped to the top three.
According to data from Jato Dynamics, which was cited in the paper, from January to August 2023, 46% of 1,443 types sold in India were mass-market automobiles with six airbags. Six airbags offer stronger safety than two or four airbags, according to Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato Dynamics, who also stressed the importance of this for particularly vulnerable passengers like youngsters and the elderly. He did add, though, that these improvements would result in higher automobile prices. Following the announcement of six airbags, Hyundai raised prices by 1-1.5 percent for the majority of its vehicles, according to the article.