Sounding the alarm: EVs in India to get a compulsory pedestrian warning system from 2026. Everything you must know

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has released a draft notification proposing a pedestrian warning system in the form of the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) for electric vehicles in India. This means the electric vehicles in India will come fitted with a pedestrian warning system that will alert pedestrians and fellow motorists on the road about the presence of an electric vehicle. The proposal addresses the concerns that electric vehicles, while environmentally friendly and efficient compared to the internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, are too quiet at low speeds, which poses potential safety risks for pedestrians, cyclists and fellow motorists on crowded roads.

As per the draft notification proposed by the MoRTH, all the new electric vehicles, including the passenger vehicles and goods carriers, must come equipped with AVAS starting October 1, 2026. Further, the mandate will cover the existing electric vehicles in production from October 1, 2027. "On and after 1st October 2026, in case of new models and 1st October 2027 in case of existing models, electrified vehicles of category M and N shall be fitted with AVAS meeting requirements with regard to audibility as specified in AIS-173, as amended from time to time," the government notification said.

The draft notification specifies that the AVAS systems on the electric vehicles must comply with AIS-173 standards, which define performance and audibility levels. The proposal mandates that the artificial sound generated by the vehicles should be loud enough to be noticed in busy traffic environments. However, the sound should not be intrusive or uncomfortable for the people nearby. The draft notification also mandates that the pedestrian warning system should be triggered when the EV travels at a speed under 20 kmph or reverses. However, the system will switch off automatically at higher speeds, as the tyre and wind noise at higher speeds provide ample audible alerts for the road users.

Pedestrian warning system for EVs: Which vehicles will be impacted?

The proposed rule for AVAS systems on EVs will be applicable to multiple vehicle types under categories M and N. These include passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, buses, and trucks. However, an interesting thing is that two-wheelers, three-wheelers and e-rickshaws that form the largest chunk of the Indian electric vehicle fleet remain excluded from this draft proposal. This is despite these vehicles also operating with minimal noise at lower speeds. It is not clear if the government will bring these vehicle types under the ambit of the rule at a later stage.

Pedestrian warning system for EVs: How will it impact road users?

The electric vehicles don't use combustion technology, which results in significantly lower noise generation compared to the ICE vehicles, especially at low speeds. For road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians, it often becomes difficult to detect the presence of an EV around them. This often results in mishaps, which are sometimes fatal. The new technology proposed by the government is expected to bring down such incidents.

According to a report by the US Department of Transportation, electric cars pose a 20% higher risk of accident to pedestrians compared to internal combustion engine-powered cars and a 50% higher risk during low-speed driving. Which is why AVAS is mandatory in the US, Japan and Europe. The low-frequency artificial sound that would be generated by the EVs starting from next year, as the government has mandated, road users will be easily alerted who may not otherwise detect an EV on the move.

Pedestrian warning system for EVs: Many EVs in India already have this tech

While the government's draft notification has proposed this as a mandatory fitment, the pedestrian warning systems are already offered in electric vehicles by many automakers in India. Some of the popular electric cars, including the MG Comet, Tata Curvv EV, Tata Harrier EV, Hyundai Creta Electric, Mahindra XEV 9e, and Mahindra BE6, come equipped with the AVAS technology.