Auto Expo 2014: ACMA’s Safety Pavilion drives awareness on in-vehicle passenger safety

The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), which has been actively driving awareness about the need to use genuine spare parts and shun spurious parts through its longstanding Asli-Naqli campaign, has now trained its attention on in-vehicle passenger safety.

At the Component Show at Pragati Maidan, ACMA showcased a first-of-its-kind display of ‘safety critical items’ at the Safety Pavilion to sensitise consumers on the importance of in-vehicular safety devices.

Speaking on the occasion, Harish Lakshman, president, ACMA, said: “Currently most of the voluntary safety measures in India revolve around vehicle-theft rather than passenger safety. India today records the highest number of road accidents in the world. As per data from the Ministry of Road Transportation and Highways, in CY 2012 alone, there have been 490,388 accidents leading to 5,09,667 injuries and 1,38,258 deaths – an average of one fatality per 3.5 accidents, resulting in high collateral damages, legal expenses and avoidable national loss. These alarming figures call for a serious need to bring a check on road casualties that can be avoided through collaborative initiatives of the government, industry and public. The Safety Pavilion displays a host of products by manufacturers which are leaders in braking systems, lighting systems, electrical equipment, among others. This will help educate consumers on the advantages of deployment of safety devices and technologies.”

With India being one of the leading producers of two-wheelers and passenger vehicles in the world, there is an urgent need to develop new devices and technologies to enhance safety of riders and drivers and in-vehicle passengers. Approximately 56 percent of fatalities are being accounted for by two-wheelers (26%), passenger cars (17%) and multi-utility vehicles (13%). Even developing countries like Argentina, Brazil, Columbia and Uruguay have legislations for deployment of safety devices/technologies in vehicles.

Expressing concern on the lack of mandatory standards for safety critical items sold in the automotive aftermarket, Soumitra Bhattacharya, chairman, Consumer Affairs Committee, ACMA, remarked: “While the Indian auto component industry today manufactures products of internationally-accepted quality, mandatory standards are prescribed only for those consumed by the vehicle industry (OEMs). Unfortunately parts sold in the aftermarket, including those that could impact human safety and health, do not have any mandatory standards. It is, therefore, no surprise that markets are flooded with cheaper, substandard and, at times, spurious parts that work as quick-fix alternatives for a consumer who prefers to spend minimal on maintenance, not fully understanding the serious risk that such items pose to human life or on the performance of the vehicle. A comprehensive road-map for the automotive industry, keeping in mind the passenger safety, is therefore the need of the hour.”

At present, for passenger vehicles, only seatbelts for front seats and lighting norms are enforced, and that too, in a few cities in India. While crash safety norms are expected to be implemented soon, there is no legislation yet for deployment of ABS, ESPs or airbags for passenger cars. While in-car safety may be enhanced with use of seatbelts, airbags, ABS, child-restraint systems; such safety features in two-wheelers are rare. Apart from helmets for the rider, there is practically no mandatory safety device for two- wheelers. The automotive industry has the responsibility to address both ‘active’ as well as ‘passive’ safety; while active safety, is related to technologies for prevention of accidents and pedestrian safety, passive safety helps to protect vehicle occupants during an accident.

ACMA research has also found that road safety is seriously compromised due to counterfeited parts. Of the total Rs 330,00 crore aftermarket, fakes account for almost 36 percent, leading to losses to the government exchequer to the tune of Rs 2,200 crore per annum; an estimated employment loss of over 1.15 million jobs, consumption of additional 109 million litres of petrol and 8 million litres of diesel per annum. And, importantly, they also contribute majorly to road accidents. The most rampantly counterfeited products include clutches, bearings, filters, brakes, brake linings, rubber rings and auto electricals, all of which are related to safety.

Photograph: ACMA president Harish Lakshman and executive director Vinnie Mehta with members at the launch of the Asli-Naqli ‘Safety’ pavilion at Pragati Maidan.