[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

All I've seen so far is evidence that airbags save you IF you don't wear your seatbelt.

You are apparently misinformed.
Without a seatbelt on, an airbag can actually cause more damage.
If you look at all EURO NCAP tests, the cars get 5 star ratings with Airbags+Seatbelts.
Without the Airbags you will get more injuries.

However if you are not bucked up, and are involved in a moderate crash, the airbag can injure you very badly

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Mayavi

V1p3r, search Youtube for crash test videos. You wont need any other studies to prove that Airbags + Seat belt combination is a good recipe. Remember, seat belt worn over shoulders will only restrain your body, not your neck and head which will swing forward during high speed impact..

A few years back our indica was involved in a semi-major collision.
The driver, while restrained by the seatbelt, still hit the steering wheel(albeit not very hard, just bruises, and a bloodied lip).
Without the seatbelt he would have been dead, but if there was an airbag, the injuries would have been much less.
The seatbelt restrained him all right, and the collapsible steering also did its job, but as the impact was high speed, the entire front of the car was pushed so much in that inspite of seatbelt he hit the front.
So while a seatbelt will protect you its not all saving.
Thats why you have airbags, and they are called "SRS", i.e. Secondry restraint systems. Seatbelt is a primary restraint system, and more important than airbag

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

You are apparently misinformed.
Without a seatbelt on, an airbag can actually cause more damage.
If you look at all EURO NCAP tests, the cars get 5 star ratings with Airbags+Seatbelts.
Without the Airbags you will get more injuries.

However if you are not bucked up, and are involved in a moderate crash, the airbag can injure you very badly

I guess it coz a balloon with blows up full at 30ms can prove fatal.
With seat belts, you are restrained and by the time you recoil, the airbag is up.

[LLL]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

even if it means a 15-20k hit in the short term - it will save lives, make the roads safer for pedestrians as well as passengers and be the responsible thing to do, for educated / law abiding / forward thinking individuals.

Not only accidents cause death and destruction, they also distract police from law enforcement, overstretch our hospitals, cause litigations & involve insurance payouts.

But, our govt's attitude towards this shows their short-sightedness.

Why cant the govt give 50% of cost of airbags as discount in duties? Insurance companies can be mandated to give 10% cost of airbags as discount in insurance per year. That way in 5 years, a car owner would have recovered the entire cost of airbags.

Every car owner would then buy cars with airbags. But right now, our govt is only interested in filling its coffers...and coffins.

[kkdelhi]

Originally Posted by LLL

... Insurance companies can be mandated to give 10% cost of airbags as discount in insurance per year. That way in 5 years, a car owner would have recovered the entire cost of airbags...

When the i-CATS immobilizer system was introduced in Maruti vehicles last year, the company had advertised in bold that the insurance cos. (esp. ICICI Pru) would give 5% off (or was it 10) on the insurance premium. I wonder if the insurance cos. do really give this discount.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

A few years back our indica was involved in a semi-major collision.
The driver, while restrained by the seatbelt, still hit the steering wheel(albeit not very hard, just bruises, and a bloodied lip).
Without the seatbelt he would have been dead, but if there was an airbag, the injuries would have been much less.
The seatbelt restrained him all right, and the collapsible steering also did its job, but as the impact was high speed, the entire front of the car was pushed so much in that inspite of seatbelt he hit the front.
So while a seatbelt will protect you its not all saving.
Thats why you have airbags, and they are called "SRS", i.e. Secondry restraint systems. Seatbelt is a primary restraint system, and more important than airbag

Completely agree. A close friend of mine died in Aug 2006 in his Zen (carb?) just this way. Had his car had airbags, he would've been here.

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Recently, we heard that Tata has brought a ABS/Airbags testing cum manufacturing facility into the country.So, this is quite expected.

Giving special insurance benefits for cars with ABS/Airbags would do a lot with the public accepting it.

This would be a good move. Driving aids indirectly contribute to pedestrian/third party safety, however small it may seem. Once manufacturers wake up to the fact that ABS/Airbags are not luxury items any more, the cost of fitment/replacement will come down drastically. Economies of scale as someone mentioned.

A proper awareness campaign on the benefits of ABS/airbags can go a long way in people opting for them in their cars. If your neighbour has it, chances are that you will want it too.

[adityamunshi]

@tanveer
Any updates ?

Tata Motors do not seem to be going in this direction, the recently launched Sumo Grande doesnt even have ABS/Airbags as an option.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

A little birdie has come with some great news.
The Tata range of passenger cars will shortly come out with ABS and Airbags standard across the power range. Price increase is expected to be nominal(economies of scale working here?)
Can't disclose the source, but the source is pretty reliable as far as Tata has been concerned, and has brought in scoops previously also.

[Ram_NP]

Originally Posted by adityamunshi

@tanveer
Any updates ?

Tata Motors do not seem to be going in this direction, the recently launched Sumo Grande doesnt even have ABS/Airbags as an option.

Yes, I agree with above fact. Even the newly launched cars like Indigo CS, Indigo XL DICOR does not have Airbags/ABS even as option.

[drkhalsa]

I dont know whether the SCoop was right or not but surely I was very hopeful about it as it could have created revolution in Indian car industry

May be they can go ahead with this idea once they lauch their New Gen Indica later this year.

[patil]

would anybody be able to confirm the news. i am intending to buy a safari lx. cant afford vx. if abs and airbags are being made standard equipment or at least optional i will postpone my plans of buying the safari.

[tsk1979]

I checked with my source again. This is on the cards. But till Nano Tata supposedly has it hands full, and now everything in the company(every new model including the almost ready new Indica) is slightly delayed due to the Nano Effect.

[shatrughna]

Originally Posted by patil

would anybody be able to confirm the news. i am intending to buy a safari lx. cant afford vx. if abs and airbags are being made standard equipment or at least optional i will postpone my plans of buying the safari.

Count me in the queue next to you. I would love to buy EX 4*4 with ABS and Airbag and will keep waiting till that happens unless I buy something else in that size.

I even tried speaking to the Regional Manager sales and gave feedback after test drive - salesman also reverted after 10-15 days with regrets. So I dont think its happening anytime soon. May be in new line up they do something. They should also offer space to fit in a 2 din system( ICE).

[GodsOwnWheels]

Originally Posted by shatrughna

Count me in the queue next to you. I would love to buy EX 4*4 with ABS and Airbag and will keep waiting till that happens unless I buy something else in that size.

same here. but wait is getting too long. may be the next gen safari will arrive first.

btw, TATA has increased the prices of their cars by 2-3%