Safety Features Indian Cars

Some of the safety features installed in Indian cars are:

Active safety systems

Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

ABS is a system in motor vehicles, which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The purpose of this is twofold: to allow the driver to maintain steering control under heavy braking and, in most situations, to shorten braking distances (by allowing the driver to hit the brake fully without the fear of skidding or loss of control). A car with ABS will stop more quickly on most roads and will have improved stability and steering capability on all surfaces. The implementation of ABS is not mandatory in India. An ABS-equipped car is estimated to cost an additional Rs 14,000 - Rs 16,000.

Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD)

EBD is an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes, based on road conditions, speed, loading, etc. Always coupled with anti-lock braking systems, EBD can apply more or less braking pressure to each wheel in order to maximise stopping power whilst maintaining vehicular control. The cost of an electronic brakeforce distribution varies between Rs 4,000 to 6,000.

Passive safety systems

Seat belts

A seat belt, also called a safety belt, is designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop. As part of an overall occupant restraint system, seat belts are intended to reduce injuries by protecting the user from hitting hard interior elements of the vehicle or other passengers and prevent the user from being thrown from the vehicle. Most seat belts are equipped with locking mechanisms (or inertia reels) that tighten the belt when pulled hard (eg. by the force of a passenger's body during a crash) but do not tighten when pulled slowly. Seatbelts in many newer vehicles are also equipped with pretensioners. Pretensioners are used to tighten the belt to prevent the occupant from jerking forward in a crash. This reduces the load on the occupant in a major crash. Like airbags, pretensioners are triggered by sensors in the car's body, and most pretensioners use explosively expanding gas to drive a piston that retracts the belt. Seat belts in India cost around Rs 500 to OEMs. In India, seat belts are compulsory under the traffic rules in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, violation of which, leads to a penalty.

Airbags

Airbags are designed to keep the head, neck, and chest from slamming into the dashboard, steering wheel or windshield in a front-end crash. Air bags are fabric bags that are filled quickly with a gas to provide supplemental protection for vehicle passengers during some collisions. Air bags are most effective in protecting vehicle occupants who are wearing the belt properly. One or more sensors detect the intensity and direction of vehicle deceleration during a collision. The sensor sends an electric signal to start a chemical reaction that inflates the air bag with harmless nitrogen gas. Air bags have vents, so they deflate immediately after cushioning the passenger. If there is sufficient change in velocity in the direction of protection (frontal or lateral), appropriate air bags are deployed.

After seatbealts, airbags may soon be mandatory in all cars starting 2010. The Ministry of Textiles has placed a proposal before the Planning Commission, which mandates the installation of airbags. The estimated cost of an airbag is Rs 9000.