Cars That Brake on Their Own: What the Government's Draft AEBS Proposal Would Actually Change

First, the status: this is a draft

Start with the word that matters most in this story: proposed. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification, dated 19 October 2026, that would amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on Indian cars. The draft has been opened to objections and suggestions for 30 days from the date its Gazette copies are made public, and the ministry will consider that feedback before deciding the final rules. Nothing in it is law today, dates could shift in the final notification, and this article describes the proposal as written — not a mandate already in force.

What AEBS is, in plain terms

An Advanced Emergency Braking System watches the road ahead using radar, cameras or both. If it detects an impending collision — a vehicle stopped ahead, for example — and the driver does not react in time, it applies the brakes by itself, either avoiding the crash altogether or reducing the speed, and therefore the severity, of the impact. It is one of the core features in the driver-assistance packages usually marketed as ADAS, and in most cars sold in India today it remains confined to higher variants and pricier models.

The timelines the draft proposes

The draft works in phases, and it covers the M1 category — passenger vehicles with up to eight seats in addition to the driver's, which means most cars and SUVs on sale.

• From 1 October 2028: M1 vehicles, and N1 light goods vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes), that are offered with AEBS would have to have systems conforming to AIS-185, the Automotive Industry Standard for the technology. Fitment would not yet be compulsory — but any system fitted would have to meet one common standard.

• From 1 October 2030: AEBS conforming to AIS-185 would become mandatory on all new M1 models.

• From 1 October 2032: the requirement would extend to all M1 models, including those already in production before 2030.

In the draft's own words, M1 vehicles manufactured on and after those dates "shall be fitted with Advanced Emergency Braking System, conforming to AIS-185" — language that only takes legal effect if and when a final notification follows the consultation.

The draft reaches beyond braking

The same notification proposes a wider safety package. For trucks, it sets out electronic stability control conforming to AIS-162 and a revised braking standard from 1 October 2027. Steering effort across motor vehicles would have to conform to AIS-193 from October 2027. And from 1 October 2029, automatic steering functions (ACSF) and emergency lane-keeping systems (ELKS) would become mandatory on M1 vehicles registered as transport vehicles — mainly taxis — with reports of the draft also pointing to drowsiness and attention-warning systems for that segment. Cars optionally fitted with such systems earlier would need to meet the relevant standards without fitment being compulsory.

Why now, and what happens next

The proposal sits inside the government's stated target of halving road accidents and fatalities by 2030, a goal Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has reiterated repeatedly, and officials have said the long lead times reflect the preparation the industry and buyers would need. The honest caveats are two. First, AEBS is a safety net, not a substitute driver: its performance depends on road conditions, visibility and sensor limits. Second, the timeline is a draft's timeline. The consultation runs for 30 days, the ministry then decides, and only a final Gazette notification will settle what is mandatory and from when. MagnetDaily will report the final rules when they are issued — until then, treat "AEB in every new car from 2030" as a serious proposal moving through the system, not a done deal.