News, 29 September 2025
India’s Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has moved to improve pedestrian safety by mandating acoustic warning systems in electric vehicles. From October 1, 2026, every new private and commercial EV will need to be fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) to emit sound at low speeds, helping alert pedestrians and cyclists to vehicles that are otherwise nearly silent.
Existing models of EVs will also have to comply, though they are being granted an extra year — until October 1, 2027 — to update and adapt their designs. The regulation is being proposed mainly for EVs in the car, bus, and truck categories; two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and e-rickshaws are currently excluded from the requirement.
This move aligns India with global trends, where many countries require AVAS to ensure safety in low-speed urban settings. Quiet EVs pose a known risk for vulnerable road users who rely on auditory cues. Under the draft rules, these sound systems must activate automatically when the vehicle is moving slowly — for example during parking, reversing, or at start/stop speeds.
As EV adoption grows rapidly across India, this regulation aims to close a safety gap and reduce pedestrian accidents. For manufacturers, it signals the need to update designs and component sourcing. For consumers, it promises improved safety with minimal disruption, since EVs already deploy other safety features. The policy is still in draft status, so final details (volume levels, sound signatures, enforcement) may evolve before full implementation.
Source: ACKO Drive, ZeeBiz, The Economic Times
