The coming year is going to bring with it a lot of hope and a chance that we may finally have some sensible and serious safety norms being implemented in the country. While the four wheeler world is set to get mandatory crash safety tests, the two wheeler market may get mandatory ABS (Anti-Lock-Braking System) on bigger motorcycles.
As per a recent report published by Autocar Professional, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the foremost research specialist of the automotive industry, functioning under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India, has proposed mandatory ABS on two-wheelers with engines larger than 125 cc.
This means, all the bikes and scooters which have displacements of over 125cc will have to adhere to the ruling. Considering that disc brakes are required for ABS and we have a lot of motorcycles which come with regular drums upfront, is ARAI also considering making front discs compulsory on these motorcycles or will the ABS be mandatory only on motorcycles which are offered with disc brakes?
If things go as per plan and the recommendation gets the timely sanctions from the authorities, ABS can be made mandatory from as early as 2017. ARAI is working on its expansion plans and is scheduled to have its crash testing facility for passenger vehicles ready by April 2015, at its Chakan centre in Pune. They plan to open a similar facility for two-wheelers by June 2015.
Click on the pic to know how how ABS is helpful in preventing accidents
ARAI though does not have a test track of its own. They have been using the test track at Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE) in Ahmednagar, a facility belonging to DRDO, but that too is being upgraded with NATRIP funding. Mandatory ABS can be sanctioned only when this facility is ready so that vehicles can be safely tested.
While ABS fitment may mean a small cost increase but the value of safety is obviously more than the small one-time cost involved. In fact, as per a recent survey, ABS will help in preventing every third accident in respect to two-wheelers.
