Mandatory AEB India: What the 2030-2032 Draft Means

Mandatory AEB in India is now a formal proposal, not just talk. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification that would make Advanced Emergency Braking Systems compulsory on passenger cars in two stages: new models built from October 1, 2030, and every model in production from October 1, 2032.

This is a draft amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and it is open for public comment for 30 days, as Autocar India reported on October 23. The dates could still change. What is confirmed is the direction: the government wants AEB to move from being a top-variant luxury to a basic safety requirement.

Here is what the draft says, what AEB really does on Indian roads, and whether it should change what you buy this festive season.

Table of Contents

Mandatory AEB India timeline: what has MoRTH proposed?

The draft covers the M1 category. That means passenger vehicles with up to eight seats besides the driver, so it includes hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs and MPVs.

The rollout is phased. The first step is about quality, not fitment. From October 1, 2028, any M1 or N1 vehicle that already offers AEB must meet AIS-185, the Automotive Industry Standard for AEBS. N1 covers light goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.

The second step is fitment on new designs. From October 1, 2030, all new M1 models must come with AEB. The final step, from October 1, 2032, extends the rule to every M1 model, including cars that were already on sale before 2030.

Proposed date	What changes	Who it covers
Oct 1, 2027	Steering effort must meet AIS-193; cars offering ACSF must comply; cars with ELKS must meet AIS-191 (Part 1)	All motor vehicles with steering wheels; M1 with these systems
Oct 1, 2028	Cars and light goods vehicles that offer AEB must meet AIS-185	M1 and N1
Oct 1, 2029	ACSF and ELKS become mandatory	M1 registered as transport vehicles (taxis)
Oct 1, 2030	AEB mandatory	All new M1 models
Oct 1, 2032	AEB mandatory	All M1 models, including existing ones

Draft dates as reported by Autocar India; subject to change.

What does AEB actually do?

AEB watches the road ahead using a radar, a camera, or both. If it decides a collision is likely and the driver has not reacted, it warns first and then applies the brakes on its own. The aim is either to avoid the crash or to hit at a lower speed.

It is one part of what the industry calls ADAS. It is not self-driving. The driver stays responsible, and the system has limits in heavy rain, glare or dust.

That last point matters in India. Two-wheelers cutting in, pedestrians stepping out between parked cars and cattle on highways are all harder cases than the tidy test scenarios abroad. The value of a national standard like AIS-185 is that it sets a minimum level of performance, so a “has AEB” claim in a brochure means something measurable.

Why is the government pushing this now?

The stated goal is road safety. Autocar India notes that the proposal fits the government’s aim of halving road accidents and fatalities by 2030, a target Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has repeated several times.

Heavy vehicles are already ahead. As per a Times of India report cited by Autocar India, new truck and bus models must have AEB from January 2027, along with blind-spot information, moving-off information, driver drowsiness alerts and lane-departure warning. Trucks also get a revised braking standard and electronic stability control from October 1, 2027.

Earlier this year, MoRTH also proposed vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication on new vehicles from October 1, 2028. The ministry sees V2V as a complement to ADAS features like AEB.

What about lane keeping and taxis?

This is the part most car buyers will miss. The draft also brings in rules for Automatic Command Steering Functionalities (ACSF) and Emergency Lane Keeping Systems (ELKS).

For private cars, the 2027 rules only apply if a car already offers these systems. They then have to meet the relevant standard. For taxis, it goes further. ACSF and ELKS would be mandatory on M1 vehicles registered as transport vehicles from October 1, 2029. The TOI report adds that drowsiness and attention warnings are also planned for taxis.

That makes sense, given the long hours commercial drivers spend at the wheel.

Will cars get more expensive?

Very likely, at least for entry-level models. AEB needs sensors, software and testing, and someone has to pay for that. The draft does not mention cost, and no carmaker has given figures, so any number you see today is a guess.

The long lead time helps. Carmakers get about four years for new models and six for existing ones. That leaves room to spread costs across volumes, as happened with airbags and ABS. Still, the cheapest cars are the most price-sensitive, and that is where the impact will show most.

Should you buy a car with ADAS today?

Rules that start in 2030 should not drive a purchase in 2026. But they do tell you where the market is going.

If two variants of the same car are close in price and only the higher one has AEB, it is worth a serious look, especially if you drive a lot on highways. Many new launches already bundle it. Hyundai, for instance, offers Level 2 ADAS on its newly launched Bayon, which we covered in our Hyundai Bayon launch and ADAS feature breakdown.

A few practical checks before paying extra:

Ask whether the car has AEB specifically, not just “ADAS”. Some packages include only warnings.
Check if it detects pedestrians and two-wheelers, or only cars.
Take a test drive on a real road and see how often it beeps. A system that nags constantly tends to get switched off.
Confirm that the windscreen camera and radar can be serviced at your dealer, and ask what a windscreen replacement costs with the camera recalibrated.

Also be wary of names. Brands use many labels for driver aids, and we have written about why driver-assist names can mislead buyers. What matters is what the system does, not what it is called.

What happens next?

The 30-day consultation period comes first. MoRTH says it will consider objections and suggestions before issuing a final notification. The industry may ask for more time or for changes to the test standards.

Rules can also move faster than expected once they are final, as owners of older vehicles in Delhi have seen with the non-BS6 vehicle restrictions from November 1.

CarBike Insight Analysis

This is a sensible, overdue proposal with a realistic timetable. Setting a standard first (2028), then requiring fitment on new models (2030), then on all models (2032) gives carmakers time and gives buyers clarity.

The real test will be calibration. AEB that brakes for shadows or misses a scooter is worse than useless, because drivers stop trusting it. AIS-185 compliance must be properly enforced, and buyers deserve simple, published test results.

Who should act now? Highway-heavy drivers and families buying a car to keep for eight to ten years should lean towards variants with proper AEB today. Who can wait? City buyers on a tight budget gain little by stretching for a top variant, as long as they choose a car with strong crash-test results.

FAQ

When will AEB be mandatory in India?

Under the draft, from October 1, 2030 for all new passenger car models and October 1, 2032 for all models. The dates are not final yet.

Does this apply to two-wheelers?

No. The AEB rule covers M1 passenger vehicles, with an AIS-185 compliance rule for N1 light goods vehicles that offer AEB.

Is lane keeping becoming compulsory too?

Only for taxis registered as transport vehicles, from October 1, 2029, under the draft. Private cars that offer it must meet the standard from 2027.

Will my current car need AEB?

No. The draft applies to vehicles manufactured after the deadlines, not to cars already on the road.

Can the public comment on the draft?

Yes. The draft is open for 30 days of public consultation.