The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed making the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) mandatory for all electric cars, buses, and trucks to enhance road safety. AVAS is a safety feature in Electric Vehicles (EVs) that emits an artificial sound to alert pedestrians and other road users to the vehicle's presence.
Proposed timeline
The Ministry's draft notification outlines a phased implementation schedule for the new rule:
- October 1, 2026: All new models of electric passenger and goods vehicles must be equipped with AVAS.
- October 1, 2027: The mandate extends to existing models of electrified vehicles in Categories M and N.
The notification specifies that these vehicles must be fitted with AVAS that meets the audibility requirements detailed in the AIS-173 standard.
Vehicle categories covered
The mandate applies to the following categories of electrified vehicles:
- Category M: Includes electric cars and buses designed primarily for passenger transport.
- Category N: Includes electric-powered trucks and other goods vehicles.
The use of AVAS is already mandatory in hybrid vehicles in several nations, including the US, Japan, and some European Union countries.
EV charging station norms
Meanwhile, the Central Government has launched a major push to electric mobility, releasing guidelines for the deployment of 72,300 public EV charging stations. Backed by a Rs 2,000-crore outlay under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, the project features a tiered subsidy system and names BHEL as the official Project Implementation Agency (PIA). Funds will be disbursed in two tranches upon meeting specific performance benchmarks.
The scheme will primarily focus on:
- Urban centres with populations over one million.
- Smart cities and metro-connected satellite towns.
- State capitals.
- High-density National and State Highways.
- Additionally, key public transport hubs such as railway stations, airports, and fuel retail outlets have been specifically earmarked to receive infrastructure support.
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