[GullwingGT]

What an absolute indifference towards safety from India's number 1 car maker. They are so much worried about the negative publicity that their cars received and without improving safety they are ridiculing it.

It shows only profits count for these so called corporate leaders. Disgusting comments to say the least. Will never buy a maruti suzuki again in my life, just for this attitude of theirs.

[gthang]

While safety is and should always be first, let's not jump to conclusions.

Airbags and ABS are important safety aids, yes.

But it is possible to be safe without them as well.

What Mr. Maruti is saying is somewhat relevant to India because India is different.

Imagine any village in India. A guy with an Alto driving around in the backroads, and a buffalo/camel/donkey decided to bump his car with their behind. Will the airbags go off? Should it go off? What would he do if it went off?

While it is nice to envision an India with fine roads and good traffic sense, and uber safe cars, the reality is completely different.

A good Samaritan hardly makes a good businessman. But thanks to shrewd businessmen, mobility of several lakhs have improved.

Are we qualified to judge?

Cheers

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by gthang

Imagine any village in India. A guy with an Alto driving around in the backroads, and a buffalo/camel/donkey decided to bump his car with their behind. Will the airbags go off? Should it go off? What would he do if it went off?

So you mean to say always imagine the accident going to happen only in that way? People are killed only because of animals jumping on the vehicles? Only bad roads, bad driving habits etc are responsible for accidents? Everyone living in village? If we drive safe, accidents can be fully avoided? Safe cars should be delayed till all the roads become animals free and safe to drive. We shouldn't get safe cars till every motorist starts following traffic rules and becomes perfectly aware of how to drive safe? Getting safe car to drive is the last thing in the course of building safe driving environment in India?

No wonder a chief of a leading car company making such statement, afterall he is also amongst us.

This is not only about aribags or ABS, its also about sub standard cars sold to us compared to what are sold elsewhere in the world. Companies like Maruti/Suzuki don't say anything against the cash tests or safety features in those countries.

If companies like VW can build and sell a top class car in 6-7 lakh rupees then why Maruti is not able to do the same, atleast similar quality is expected in segment of Swift/Ritz. They are doing that in other countries but chose not to do so in India where they are earning majority of their profits.

[Jeroen]

Mr Bhargava has shown his true colours. His arguements around India being different and that there are many other contributing factors towards road safety is absolutely true.

But it is also true, without a shadow of doubt, that adding airbags/ABS and such will have a positive impact on road safety and or survival rates.

Mr Bhargava is deflecting the discussion by pointing towards others that need to take action. That is easy and cheap. He fails to take responsibility for his own area of direct control, making (safer) cars. That, in my opinion, makes him not only a mediocre business leader, but also a pathetic human being.

I would not want to work for somebody like that. I wouldnt buy his products. This is an individual that simply won't take responsibility, wont take charge for doing what he can and should be doing.

Jeroen

[lapis_lazuli]

If adding a couple of airbags increase the end PRICE by 30000 and the ABS increases the end PRICE by 10000, why doesn't the automotive industry RnD focus on reducing the input COST of these items? Technology doesn't stop evolving: it is made to stop at the point which offers best returns on the development cost, IMHO.

I think a few months of serious effort should come up with simpler and cheaper ABS modulators, airbag "bombs" and impact sensors. Automotive electronics, sensing and actuation, has taken huge leaps over the last few years.

That is, if it is ALREADY not so! I firmly believe it is, and we are just being conned to believe the PRICE. It is not as expensive. Only some privileged friends here, know the inside story of the Price to Cost ratio!

[wilful]

It is sad to see statements like this from business leaders who have both a corporate and a social responsibility.
This whole argument about cars beings safer than bikes and so on is so utterly futile. Imagine people saying new houses/buildings need not have (electrical) circuit breakers or fire resistant wiring because in any case a sizable percentage of population live in small hutments which have no safety measures like these - so a pucca building is anyway safer.
We can thus take such arguments to ridiculous lengths.

[srishiva]

Would like to know what car does this Bhargava travel in? Looks like some are talking/writing akin to food chain

Nobody is saying that safety features will solve 100% of accident related fatalities/injuries. Since its a question of life, they should just provide it and it should be made mandatory by the Govt which will prevent such loose talk.

[saket77]

Ok, then just display the safety rating on the cars in the showroom and let the buyers choose what they want. Make ABS & airbags optional for all variants and not just the top variant. If not manufacturers, let people take a call for themselves. And if people choose a zero star rated car, at least they know what they are venturing into. Right now I feel for the buyers of cars like Swift who plonked those 5-6 big ones thinking that they are buying a car which is sold in international market and is safe, only to find out the truth later after NCAP results.

I don't know if NCAP tests are 'sponsored' by European brands or anyone else behind the curtain, but happy to see that it is creating a stir and some consciousness & education among the Indian buyers; which is surely good for the future. Though. it would have been better if the Govt. had taken this step first instead of NCAPs.

[vivriti]

The typical person shifting from a two wheeler to a car does so because he/she can transport their family more comfortably and more safely. So naturally some expectation of safety is there though there is very little knowledge of ABS/Airbags.

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to not only inform but also add these safety features at an affordable cost.

If properly informed about, the typical customer is not going to refuse these features if again the cost is a reasonable 30-40K. Even a 5k margin on these features is going to net the manufacturer a neat profit especially in the case of Maruti. Why don't they do it

[StepUP!]

Why Mr Bhargava is silent on test results? Forget Airbags and ABS. The basic monocoque structure of "PREMIUM" hatchback Swift renders useless and fatal in case of a crash. Why the sheet metal strength compromised? And how can he compare a 2 wheeler's safety with a 4 wheeler's?

Isn't he comparing oranges and apples? By not installing Airbags and ABS; Mr Bhargava is doing social work - keeping prices down. And in turn giving luxury to two wheelers to upgrade to an unsafe Maruti 4 wheeler. But he forgets a 2 wheeler would never be able to perform like a 4 wheeler. For example, earlier 2 wheeler guy used to travel by bus for long distance travels but now he will take out his family in his Maruti. Attain highway speeds and unfortunately gets killed because the monocoque itself is useless.

Truly as they say for Swift "You're the fuel" because it's you who gets burnt like fuel in case of a crash/accident

[extreme_torque]

The statements like these do not make me sad, I am infuriated. The only thing they are good at doing is making an appliance at the lowest cost possible and reap the profits. No offense to the future or past owners of the car in question but buying a swift went from cool to hideously uncool in top gear parallance. It tells you how much you with your own safety and your dear ones.

[Seran Manian]

Originally Posted by Biraj

Safety should always be in absolute terms. It's either safe or unsafe. We can't accept a logic like "an unsafe car is safer than a two-wheeler". As a responsible manufacturer, his focus should be on making safety features affordable and available to all. If a person can't afford a safe car then he should travel in a safer bus or metro or train. Else, ride a bike with proper safety gear. Wish and hope that Mr. Bhargava and his clan understand the importance of safety. Till that time I would focus on NCAP stars instead of 'Kitna Deti Hai'.

Well said Biraj. There cannot be any compromise on basic safety features like Seat Belts, Air Bags and ABS. If one cannot afford to spend another 50000 for that he can better travel in a BUS or Train. That would be safer.The ASIAN NCAPS test are done at speeds well below the Highway speeds of 80 to 120 KMPH many of our drivers go at.

[StepUP!]

I would love to find out which cars Mr Bhargava himself and his family uses. Is it Alto/Swift? As these are the best cars manufactured considering "INDIAN" conditions?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by gthang

A good Samaritan hardly makes a good businessman. But thanks to shrewd businessmen, mobility of several lakhs have improved.

Are we qualified to judge?

Hmm, do you feel Ralph Nadar was wrong when he took on the automobile industry on Safety issues? The auto giants then made similar arguments in their defense.

[gthang]

All of you self-righteous netizens can throw brick-bats at Maruti and even applaud personal attacks on a person who is just voicing his company's past, present and future policy till the cows come home.

It won't make a bit of difference because anyone in touch with reality and those that make these decisions know well what the majority of Indian consumers want and need.

It's not as though Maruti does not have cars with safety features, but at a cost. Whether you want to pay that cost is and should be a personal prerogative in a cost-conscious and predominantly POOR country like India. Now, if all over the country we had good roads, and high speed driving is the norm, then the required safety features should be as well. But it is NOT so in India.

If your driving needs require you to be in such traffic conditions that warrant such safety features, you must cough up the extra dough. That's life.

If you feel airbags and ABS are mandatory in rural India (read = majority), and all should pay the same, that's your opinion. Mr. Bhargava's is that it is not. Is that a reason to start blackballing?

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hmm, do you feel Ralph Nadar was wrong when he took on the automobile industry on Safety issues? The auto giants then made similar arguments in their defense.

I don't think that Ralph Nader's crusade was in the same context. Circumstances related to that case were completely different.
Do you feel that road conditions in India even now could be compared to the US in the 70's?

Cheers