India is preparing to usher in a new era of connected mobility. The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has proposed making vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems mandatory in a phased manner through amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Under the draft notification, all new two-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles manufactured from 1 October 2028 will have to be equipped with V2V communication systems conforming to the new Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-230.
The move marks one of India’s biggest technology-led road safety initiatives. V2V systems allow vehicles to exchange information on speed, position, direction and acceleration in real time, enabling them to warn drivers about potential collisions even when hazards are beyond the driver’s line of sight. Mint unpacks the mandate and explains what it means for the future of mobility.
What is vehicle-to-vehicle communication?
V2V communication is a wireless technology that enables nearby vehicles to exchange safety-related information several times every second. Equipped vehicles continuously transmit data such as their speed, location, direction, braking status and acceleration to other vehicles in the vicinity.
Unlike conventional safety systems that rely on cameras, radar or sensors mounted on a vehicle, V2V can share information beyond the driver’s or the vehicle’s direct line of sight. This means a vehicle can receive warnings about hazards hidden by curves, buildings, large trucks or adverse weather conditions.
India’s new AIS-230 standard covers factory-fitted On-Board Units using Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology operating in the 5.875-5.925 GHz frequency band. The Department of Telecommunications has already exempted this spectrum from licensing requirements, paving the way for deployment of connected vehicle technologies.
How will V2V help prevent road accidents?
The biggest advantage of V2V is that it allows vehicles to anticipate risks before drivers can see them. For example, if a vehicle brakes suddenly, surrounding V2V-equipped vehicles receive an instant warning and can alert drivers or activate safety systems before the danger becomes visible. Similarly, vehicles approaching blind intersections can exchange information and warn drivers about an impending collision.
AIS-230 initially supports key safety applications including emergency brake alert, forward collision warning, wrong-way driving alerts and emergency vehicle alerts. These are intended to reduce crashes caused by delayed driver reactions.
MoRTH says V2V is designed to complement—not replace—existing ADAS technologies. By combining sensor-based detection with wireless communication, vehicles gain greater situational awareness, making accident prevention more proactive than reactive.
Which vehicles will be covered under the new rules?
The proposed framework applies to categories L, M and N, covering two-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles.
The implementation has been designed in two phases. From 1 October 2027, any vehicle in these categories that is voluntarily fitted with a V2V communication system must comply with AIS-230. A year later, from 1 October 2028, all newly manufactured vehicles in these categories must be equipped with compliant V2V communication systems as standard equipment.
The phased approach is intended to give manufacturers, component suppliers and testing agencies sufficient time to prepare for large-scale implementation while ensuring common technical standards across the industry.
What will be the cost implications for automakers and buyers?
Automobile manufacturers will have to integrate communication modules, antennas, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning capability, cybersecurity software and dedicated onboard electronics into new vehicles.
AIS-230 prescribes minimum standards covering radio performance, receiver sensitivity, positioning accuracy, electromagnetic compatibility, electrical performance and cybersecurity requirements. Meeting these standards will require investments in product development, testing and certification.
While this could increase manufacturing costs initially, industry experts expect costs to decline as production scales up and common hardware platforms emerge. For consumers, the additional cost is likely to be relatively modest compared with the overall vehicle price, particularly as many premium models already feature ADAS hardware that can work alongside V2V systems.
What challenges will India face in implementing V2V?
The biggest challenge lies in ensuring interoperability. Vehicles manufactured by different companies must communicate seamlessly using common protocols so that safety messages are understood uniformly.
Cybersecurity is another major concern. Since vehicles constantly exchange wireless data, robust encryption and authentication mechanisms will be essential to protect systems against hacking or malicious interference.
India will also need a strong testing and certification ecosystem to verify compliance with technical standards before vehicles reach the market.
Also, V2V becomes more effective as more vehicles adopt the technology. During the initial years, roads will continue to have millions of older vehicles without V2V capability, meaning the full safety benefits will only emerge over time.
What does the V2V mandate mean for the future of mobility in India?
Over time, V2V is expected to evolve into Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication, allowing vehicles to interact not only with each other but also with traffic signals, roadside infrastructure and emergency response systems. Such connectivity could improve traffic management, reduce congestion and support higher levels of vehicle automation.
For a country that records among the world’s highest number of road accident fatalities each year, connected vehicle technology offers a new layer of protection beyond better roads, safer vehicles and stricter enforcement.
Have other countries adopted V2V technology, and has it worked?
India is joining a growing list of countries deploying V2V communication to improve road safety. The technology has been tested or rolled out in the US, China, Japan and the European Union as part of broader connected mobility programmes.
The EU is promoting V2V through its Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) framework, while China has undertaken large-scale Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) trials across several cities. Japan’s ITS Connect system is already operational on selected highways, warning drivers about emergency vehicles, red-light violations and other hazards. US' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has backed V2V deployment, with several automakers already integrating connected vehicle technologies into production models.
While nationwide data are still emerging because adoption remains gradual, pilot projects and transport safety studies indicate that V2V can substantially reduce multi-vehicle crashes.