Industry eyes cheaper brakes for bikes

The country's automobile industry has proposed an advanced combined braking system (CBS) with front disc brakes for twowheelers as an alternative to the government's mandate on installing anti-lock braking systems (ABS) on all new bikes and scooters from January 2026, two people aware of the development said.

- Manas Pimpalkhare & Ayaan Kartik

ABS is already a mandatory feature for bigger two-wheelers above 125 cc engine capacity.

ABS is already a mandatory feature for bigger two-wheelers above 125 cc engine capacity-a rule that the ministry of road transport and highways wants to extend to smaller, commuter bikes and scooters.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) has written to the ministry that CBS with a front hydraulic disc brake is a cheaper, more efficient alternative to ABS, said the people cited earlier, requesting anonymity.

The Siam proposal is a midway solution between the expensive ABS and current CBS with drum brakes which has been mandated for sub-125 cc bikes since 2019.