Govt proposes mandatory automatic emergency braking in new car models from October 2030

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed making Advanced Emergency Braking Systems compulsory in all new car models from 1 October 2030. The aim is to help curb road accidents by adding automatic braking when a driver does not respond to danger.

Models introduced before 2030 but still being produced would receive a later deadline. AEBS would become mandatory for all such existing models from 1 October 2032, according to the ministry’s draft notification dated 19 October 2026.

The two dates create a staged rollout rather than one immediate requirement. New models must comply first, while older models continuing in production get two additional years. The draft refers specifically to M1 vehicles and requires the system to conform to AIS-185, as amended over time.

Advanced Emergency Braking System, or AEBS, is a vehicle safety system that responds when a driver fails to react to an emergency situation. Instead of waiting for the driver to press the brake pedal, it can trigger braking automatically.

Its central purpose is to reduce the consequences of a dangerous delay. If the vehicle has enough time and distance, automatic braking may help avoid a crash. If avoidance is not possible, braking can slow the vehicle before impact and reduce the collision’s force.

The article does not specify the sensors or software used by the proposed system. It does state that the system must conform to AIS-185, as amended from time to time. The government’s proposal would make this capability compulsory for M1 vehicles in new models from October 2030.

The gap between the two compliance dates is two years. New car models must have AEBS from 1 October 2030, while pre-2030 models that remain in production must meet the requirement from 1 October 2032.

For example, a model launched after the new-model deadline would need the system immediately under the proposed schedule. An older model continuing to be manufactured could operate under the later deadline, giving it two more years before AEBS becomes mandatory.

This is a timing gap, not an exemption. The draft proposal intends to cover both newly introduced models and older models still being produced. It therefore stages implementation across the vehicle fleet, beginning with new models and extending to continuing models two years later.

AEBS can improve an emergency even when a complete stop is impossible. The system is designed either to avoid a crash or to reduce the impact of a collision, so its safety value is not limited to full crash prevention.

For example, a vehicle may be too close to an obstacle for automatic braking to stop it entirely. If AEBS applies the brakes immediately, the vehicle can still lose speed before contact. The collision may then be less severe than it would have been without braking.

The article describes this outcome directly but does not provide stopping distances, speeds, or injury figures. Its key point is that faster braking can change the result from an avoidable crash to no crash, or from a high-impact collision to a lower-impact one.

M1 is a vehicle category used in regulatory standards for passenger vehicles. Under widely used vehicle-classification rules, it covers vehicles carrying passengers, with no more than eight passenger seats besides the driver. The article itself does not define the category.

This classification matters because the draft notification does not describe every vehicle type. It specifically says that M1 vehicles manufactured from the stated dates must be fitted with AEBS conforming to AIS-185. The category therefore identifies which vehicles the proposed requirement directly addresses.

The article separately discusses trucks and other medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. It says revised braking standards and electronic stability control will apply to trucks from 1 October 2027. Those truck measures are distinct from the proposed AEBS deadlines for M1 vehicles.

AEBS and electronic stability control address different risks. AEBS responds to an emergency ahead of the vehicle by applying the brakes when the driver fails to react. Electronic stability control, by contrast, helps maintain vehicle stability, especially during braking at curves, as the article explains for trucks.

A vehicle could need both systems because emergency braking may involve sudden deceleration or a curved road. AEBS focuses on whether a collision can be avoided or softened. Stability control focuses on whether the vehicle remains stable while braking or changing direction. Their functions can therefore complement one another.

The government’s proposal would require AEBS for M1 vehicles in new models from October 2030 and older continuing models from October 2032. Separately, electronic stability control under AIS 162 is mandated for trucks from 1 October 2027.

The article does not describe AEBS hardware. In established vehicle-safety designs, forward-looking cameras, radar, or both monitor the road and detect vehicles or obstacles ahead. The system’s software estimates whether a collision is becoming imminent and whether the driver has responded.

If the risk remains, the software can warn the driver and command the braking system. Electronic controls then activate the vehicle’s brakes, often building braking force rapidly. The exact sensor combination, detection targets, and performance requirements depend on the applicable standard.

These technical details are general background, not specifications stated in the article. The article says only that AEBS automatically brakes when a driver fails to respond and that the proposed system must conform to AIS-185. The draft would apply this requirement to M1 vehicles on the stated dates.