[rr_zen]

The one from my end would be the good old temp gauge which is being ignored in quite a few cars these days (E.g: A-Star). Also, would like to add the rear windshield wiper which is available only on very few hatchbacks and only on the top end models.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Well the Manufacturer does offer higher priced alternative which are "safer".
So ultimately for the consumer safety is not valuable.

Now if you believe that this is not the "right way" of doing things. Fine, there are govt regulations to take care of such things.
Can the Regulators please let us know why they have made right (driver) side rear mirror mandatory, but not the left side?
Can the regulators let us know why the head restraints are not mandatory for rear passengers?

First let me ask you how do you know which car is "safer"?
There are no independent crash test results available, so one simply cannot determine which car is safer versus the competition.

Secondly, the automobile industry has consistently pushed for lesser regulation and where it was not possible to stay legislation they have collaboratively lobbied for lax regulations. Is this responsible ethical conduct?

Rather than putting the onus on the regulators, the manufacturers can start off by making public the crash test results for their "made for India" models.

That one act will bring about increased customer awareness about automobile safety and in turn better safety regulations.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Zinda

Examples set by others:
1. Even base models of Liva/Polo come with airbags (driver side for Liva and both for Polo).
2. All New Honda City (2008-2011) and facelift (2012-2013) had dual front airbags and ABS as standard.

Also add to this, the new Hyundai Creta where apparently all variants have ABS / EBD.

[Zinda]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Also add to this, the new Hyundai Creta where apparently all variants have ABS / EBD.

True, and they have set an example for Ecosport, Duster and Scorpio too. On the other hand, what confuses me is why Grand i10, an all new car and supposed to be a premium hatch, was not given any safety kit in entire range.

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by Zinda

True, and they have set an example for Ecosport, Duster and Scorpio too. On the other hand, what confuses me is why Grand i10, an all new car and supposed to be a premium hatch, was not given any safety kit in entire range.

Grand i10 does have safety kit, but only as an 'option' in the topmost variant. Which is definitely ridiculous. Asta should have had safety as standard. And the AT variant does not even have a safety option.

[Ragavsr]

Originally Posted by Zinda

True, and they have set an example for Ecosport, Duster and Scorpio too. On the other hand, what confuses me is why Grand i10, an all new car and supposed to be a premium hatch, was not given any safety kit in entire range.

The Ford Figo Aspire is set to launch with standard dual airbags. I would prefer airbags over ABS .

On a serious note , I'm very disappointed with the Hyundai Creta . A car costing 8.6 lakhs doesn't have airbags which would hardly add 10-15 k to the cost.

What is the circus about cars with a single airbag? As if the worth of the passenger's life is any lesser!

When a pair of airbags hardly cost 10-15 k why add a single one? Honda City E/S, Maruti Ciaz VDI/VXI, now the Hyundai Creta.

As a Ford owner ( with a car that doesn't have airbags) , I am happy that Ford is leading the market in safety so that the next time I upgrade , a base model with dual airbags would do just fine and in case if I am buying the top model, I get an upgrade to full safety kit of 6 airbags,ABS and ESP.

[sathya_g_m]

Great Thread! Apparently tiny little safety features that you look for come in high end variant which are filled with more garbage. For example, Verna 1.6 S variant doesnt have speed sensing door auto locks, what a costly feature? Even Alto does have it.

Most of the cars in their top spec provides safety features but wants you to buy garbage along with them like Touch Screen audio control

BTW do people get excited about touch screen audio? I see too many touch screens already in our daily life, I definitely dont want it for a car which I drive. You cannot see them properly under bright sun! Most of the time you need to take eye of the road to read them while driving! ( Extra airbags in these variants to just protect you from this risk?)
Airbags/ABS cannot be retrofitted, where as some bells and whistles can be easily fitted by dealers. They should be the part of Option packs and not the airbags/abs. Sigh!!!

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Rather than putting the onus on the regulators, the manufacturers can start off by making public the crash test results for their "made for India" models.

Well, why doesn't the regulator makes it mandatory?
A Manufacturer has no incentive to start conducting the crash test, if no one else is doing it.

This is where regulator's role kicks in. Regulate so that public good (very ambiguous term, but we shall still use it nevertheless) is realized when there is a collusion among the buyer or sellers which distorts competition.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by alpha1

Well, why doesn't the regulator makes it mandatory?
A Manufacturer has no incentive to start conducting the crash test, if no one else is doing it.

This is where regulator's role kicks in. Regulate so that public good (very ambiguous term, but we shall still use it nevertheless) is realized when there is a collusion among the buyer or sellers which distorts competition.

Manufacturers conduct the crash tests anyways, they just don't make the results public. And these manufacturers lobby the government to make lax regulations. I agree that the regulators need to be more proactive and truly independent of such lobbying tactics, but that's not going to happen in a hurry.

My point is that since the crash tests are already being conducted, why can't the manufacturers make it public? What is it that they are hiding?

For years they kept refusing to make safer cars on the grounds that it will cost more and consumers in India will be unable to afford it, well now the cars here are super expensive too, look at the pricing of the new Creta or S Cross. At these price points for hatchbacks, heck the Indian consumer would definitely demand a safer car.

And that brings me back to your claim that Indian consumers can always choose a safer car. But how do you know which car is safer when you do not have any crash test results to rely on?

[teemus]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Also add to this, the new Hyundai Creta where apparently all variants have ABS / EBD.

It's good and bad in a way! Having ABS is good obviously, but considering the premium that Hyundai is asking for Creta, I believe front Airbags should have been standard across variants toos.

Originally Posted by sathya_g_m

Great Thread! Apparently tiny little safety features that you look for come in high end variant which are filled with more garbage.

Airbags/ABS cannot be retrofitted, where as some bells and whistles can be easily fitted by dealers. They should be the part of Option packs and not the airbags/abs. Sigh!!!

Completely agree! Why should someone who is safety conscious MUST pay for all the gizmos which he may or may not need?

If the base model has Airbags standard across variants, it WILL save lives, no two minds about it.

[r.praveen]

The following safety features are required in any car according to me
1. ABS with EBD
2. Front airbags
3. Well-designed chassis with appropriate thickness of metal.

But being in India, one can never vouch for the efficacy of the chassis or to the proper deployment of airbags in the event of an accident as evidenced by number of cases where the airbags have failed to deploy. I will be most happy and relieved if at least ABS and EBD is provided in all cars or made mandatory. In the rainy season, a film of oil and water dangerously increases the risk of cars' skidding on the roads. The rest of the features as mentioned earlier in the post, such as Fog lamps, rear vipers, driver's hand rest, dead pedal are certainly worthwhile to have but I feel that they can be done without. Or they can be fitted after the purchase of the car. ABS though, has to come from the manufacturers.