New cars to pass crash test norms from 2017 onwards

Chennai, Jan 7 (IANS) Car makers in India can market new vehicles only after they pass the new crash tests norms that are expected to be notified in 2017, a top official of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) said here Wednesday.

"In India we do not have mandated crash testing. We expect that in 2017 the crash test regulations to come into effect. The government has approached us about doing the crash tests," ARAI director Rashmi Urdhwareshe told reporters here Wednesday.

She was here to brief the media about the 14th edition of Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) to be held in Pune Jan 21-24.

According to her, ARAI is now working on drawing up the Bharat Stage V emission norms which will be in sync with the Euro V emission norms.

Though several passengers are burnt to death when their buses catch fire, Urdhwareshe said, the code for sleeper buses are not mandated as not all states permit registration of such buses.

To a query whether ARAI does any research on the cause and impact of the vehicles certified by it, she replied in the negative.

She also said ARAI does not have any plan to include insurers and consumer bodies in its governing council which is now filled with representatives of automobile makers.

Speaking about the four-day SIAT event, she said it is focussed on emissions and safety of vehicles with the core theme being `Towards a Safer, Cleaner and Quieter World'.

She said around 1,500 delegates from around 25 countries are expected to participate in the conference.

At the conference, 215 technical papers would be presented and there will be a 200 stall exhibition showcasing various automotive technologies.

There will also be a discussion on `International Mobility beyond Boundaries' with panellists from top six major vehicle manufacturing countries like China, the US, Japan, Germany, South Korea and India, Urdhwareshe said.