Back in December 2020, a report popped up claiming that dual airbags will soon become mandatory on all new cars. Well, that notion has been given the go-ahead by the decision-makers, or to be precise, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) of India. Now, there are two dates to keep in mind. All new passenger vehicles produced on or after April 1, 2021, will have to comply with the latest safety norm. For existing models, which currently do not have dual airbags as standard, carmakers have until August 1, 2021, to get them compliant.

Some might wonder why was this not part of the revised safety norms, which came into effect a couple of years ago? Well, that question will remain unanswered or bombarded with multiple explanations. The simple fact of the matter is this – both the carmakers and the central government didn’t think of it as a big deal.

With the addition of a dedicated airbag for the front passenger, a car will provide better safety. The same will also pay a dividend in crash tests as properly functioning airbags clock some valuable points.

As things stand, most of the passenger vehicles available in the country do pack dual airbags at the very least. But there are some cars which don’t. The list includes base versions of the Renault Kwid, Datsun Redi-Go, Hyundai Santro and a few Maruti Suzukis – S-Presso, Alto, Celerio and WagonR. As you’d expect, the added safety will incur some cost, which will inevitably be passed on to the customers. Expect carmakers to increase the prices of all those models by up Rs 10,000.

Besides dual airbags, all cars must also pack some other safety features such as rear parking sensors, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), seatbelt warning for front passengers and speed warning alert. Here’s a question for you: While shortlisting a car, do you filter based on the safety features?