India to Make Advanced Emergency Braking Mandatory in All New Cars by 2030

In a bid to make Indian roads a little safer, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) floated a draft notification on October 19, 2026 that would obligate car makers to fit Advanced Emergency Braking Systems – popularly known as AEBS – on every brand‑new vehicle from October 2030 onward.

Now, don’t get me wrong, AEBS isn’t some futuristic gadget that’s only for electric cars. It’s a relatively mature technology that can automatically apply the brakes when the driver fails to react in an emergency, either averting a collision outright or at least softening the impact.

The draft is pretty clear on the timeline: any M1‑category vehicle (that’s basically most passenger cars) rolled out after 1 Oct 2030 will have to carry an AEBS that complies with the AIS‑185 standard – and the rule will be updated from time to time, just in case the tech evolves.

What about the cars that are already cruising the streets or are still in production? Those won’t be left out. MoRTH says the same AEBS requirement will kick in for all existing models from 1 Oct 2032. So there’s a two‑year grace period for manufacturers to retrofit or phase out older designs.

And it’s not just passenger cars getting a safety boost. The draft also tightens brake performance standards for medium‑ and heavy‑duty trucks, mandating a revised braking standard effective 1 Oct 2027. On top of that, trucks will need to sport electronic stability control systems (AIS‑162) from the same date, helping keep them steady especially when braking on curves.

All these measures are being floated as part of a broader push to slash the country’s stubbornly high road‑fatality numbers. While the rules aren’t final yet – they’ll sit for thirty days after the Gazette publication for public feedback – the signal is clear: the government wants the next generation of Indian vehicles to be significantly safer.

Industry players will now have to factor in the cost and integration of AEBS into their design pipelines, and consumers may see a modest price uptick. Still, many safety experts argue that the trade‑off is worth it – every avoided crash saves lives, injuries and the associated economic burden.