The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has moved to strengthen safety standards for electric vehicles by making Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) mandatory across a broader range of EVs.

According to a new draft notification, all new private and commercial electric vehicles will be required to be equipped with AVAS from October 1st, 2026, while existing models will have until October 1st, 2027, to comply with the requirement.

The updated regulation now extends to e-rickshaws and e-karts. MoRTH has included the L5 and L7 vehicle categories in addition to the previously covered M and N categories. The measure aims to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly in urban areas, where the near-silent operation of electric vehicles has raised concerns regarding accidents involving unaware road users.

The draft notification has been released for public consultation, with feedback and suggestions invited within a 30-day period. Once finalised, the regulation will apply to all new EVs sold in the country from the October 2026 deadline, while manufacturers of existing models will be required to retrofit the system by October 2027.

What is AVAS?

An Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System is a safety feature specifically designed for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Since EVs produce minimal noise at low speeds, AVAS employs external speakers to generate an artificial sound that alerts pedestrians and other road users to the vehicle's presence. The sound typically varies with the vehicle's speed and is particularly active during low-speed driving and when reversing, where the risk of accidents is higher.

In terms of vehicle categories, the M category includes electric passenger vehicles such as cars and buses, while the N category covers electric trucks and goods carriers. The newly added L5 category refers to three-wheeled vehicles, including passenger and cargo auto-rickshaws, while L7 covers heavy quadricycles, commonly used for utility or cargo purposes.