The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has proposed new safety systems for passenger vehicles carrying more than 8 people.
As per a draft notification, passenger vehicles with more than 8 seats, buses and trucks must be equipped with Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS), Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning Systems (DDAWS), and Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS) from April 2026. The new rules will also apply to existing vehicle models manufactured from October 2026.
AEBS detects potential forward collisions and activates the brakes if the driver does not react in time. DDAWS monitors the driver’s steering movements, lane position and uses facial tracking to detect drowsiness.
Besides the aforementioned safety systems, buses and trucks will also be required to have an onboard blind spot information system to identify and warn drivers of pedestrians and cyclists that may be in their blind spots.