Keeping an AI on driver safety

INDIA IS RAMPING up efforts to tackle its long-standing road safety crisis with the help of technology.

- SANDEEP BUDKI

In a significant regulatory shift, the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has proposed a new rule mandating the inclusion of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in all new passenger vehicles designed to carry more than eight people starting April 2026.

The draft notification, issued earlier this year, requires vehicles to be equipped with advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS), driver drowsiness and attention warning systems (DDAWS), and lane departure warning systems (LDWS). Existing models must comply by October 2026. MoRTH has also recommended updates to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) to include blind spot monitoring systems in trucks and buses.