Electric vehicles in India will soon be required to make more noise. Literally. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed rules that make it mandatory for all EVs, including passenger cars, buses, and trucks, to be fitted with Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) in the coming years.According to the draft notification, new EV models will need to come with AVAS technology starting October 1, 2026. For models already on sale, the mandate will apply from October 1, 2027. The move is aimed at improving road safety, particularly for pedestrians, cyclists, and the visually impaired, who are at greater risk from the near-silent movement of electric and hybrid vehicles at low speeds.
What is AVAS?
AVAS works through external speakers that emit artificial sounds when the vehicle is moving slowly at speeds of up to 20 kmph. At higher speeds, tyre and wind noise are sufficient to alert others on the road, so no additional sound will be required.
Such systems are not new globally. Similar requirements are already in place in the US, Europe, and Japan, where regulators have made acoustic alerts compulsory for EVs and hybrids to address safety concerns around “quiet” road transport vehicles.Electric vehicle sales in India have seen sharp growth, with total volumes crossing the 2 million mark in 2024. Around 2,022,873 EVs were sold across segments during the year, a jump of 25.4% over 2023. With this surge, EVs now make up nearly 7.7% of the country’s overall automobile market.Stay tuned to TOI Auto for latest updates on the automotive sector and do follow us on our social media handles on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About the Author
