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Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Star Power! Safety Scores Now Steer Car Sales Growth
In a car market long dominated by affordability, safety is emerging as the best performing driver. Five-star Bharat NCAP-rated vehicles made up 15% of all passenger vehicle sales in the country in the first four months of 2025 — up from 10% during January-April 2024—as Indian car buyers increasingly prioritise protection over mileage and upfront cost. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a car market long dominated by affordability, safety is emerging as the best performing Bharat NCAP-rated vehicles made up 15% of all passenger vehicle sales in the country in the first four months of 2025 — up from 10% during January-April 2024—as Indian car buyers increasingly prioritise protection over mileage and upfront of models with top-tier safety ratings rose 12% year-on-year in 2024, when overall car sales increased 4.3%, according to data from automotive research firm Jato Dynamics. 'Safety is now a top purchase driver,' said Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato are racing to respond to this behaviour change. Safety features like six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock braking systems (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and ISOFIX child seat mounts—all considered luxuries till recently—are rapidly becoming stricter norms in recent years—the latest government mandate requires six airbags in passenger vehicles by October 2025—is accelerating the trend. But the main driver is demand. 'Buyers place a high value on safety, often gauging it by the number of airbags offered,' said R Velusamy, president, automotive technology and product development, Mahindra & are looking for two key safety components: advanced features to prevent accidents, and strong crash-test ratings to ensure protection in case of an accident. 'This growing emphasis on safety is reflected in our sales performance too,' Velusamy of Mahindra's latest models — the XEV 9e, BE.6, Thar ROXX, XUV 3XO, and XUV 400 — secured five-star ratings under Bharat NCAP (new car assessment programme) in NCAP, the indigenous vehicle crash testing and safety rating system launched in 2023, has helped increase safety awareness among car buyers.'We are communicating to our customers that a few thousand rupees is a very small price to pay for safety of themselves and their loved ones,' said Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer, corporate affairs, Maruti latest model of the Maruti Dzire recently became the first sedan to earn a five-star Bharat NCAP models of the country's largest carmaker are already equipped with electronic stability program (ESP) and other features like ABS with EBD and hill-hold assist in many of its models ahead of the regulatory requirement. It will also offer six airbags as standard across all variants of models within this year, Bharti perception of automotive safety has started evolving beyond airbags and crash scores. Features such as 360-degree cameras, remote surveillance via connected car apps such as Waylens Secure360, and remote driving alerts are increasingly seen as necessities. Parents especially appreciate speed-limiting drive modes when handing over keys to their teenage, or new-to-driving children, carmakers expanding view of safety is helping reshape India's $137-billion automotive industry, which is projected to reach $203 billion by 2030, according to Jato Dynamics. Carmakers like Maruti, Tata Motors, Hyundai, Kia, and Mahindra are investing aggressively in R&D, particularly on safety features and structural the progress, India's road safety records remain among the deadliest in the country saw 53 accidents per hour in 2023, with nearly 80% of road fatalities attributed to speeding or substandard vehicle safety, according to government data. With the government tightening regulations and customers demanding the latest safety features, 'the industry faces pressure to align with global standards', Bhatia said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
From mileage to mayday: Why Indian car buyers are now obsessed with safety stars
Live Events Carmakers Investing in Safety R&D (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a car market long dominated by affordability, safety is emerging as the best-performing driver. Five-star Bharat NCAP-rated vehicles made up 15% of all passenger vehicle sales in the country in the first four months of 2025 — up from 10% during January-April 2024 — as Indian car buyers increasingly prioritise protection over mileage and upfront of models with top-tier safety ratings rose 12% year-on-year in 2024, when overall car sales increased 4.3%, according to data from automotive research firm Jato Dynamics. 'Safety is now a top purchase driver,' said Ravi Bhatia, president of Jato are racing to respond to this behaviour change. Safety features like six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock braking systems (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and ISOFIX child seat mounts — all considered luxuries till recently — are rapidly becoming stricter norms in recent years — the latest government mandate requires six airbags in passenger vehicles by October 2025 — is accelerating the trend. But the main driver is demand. 'Buyers place a high value on safety, often gauging it by the number of airbags offered,' said R. Velusamy, president, automotive technology and product development, Mahindra & are looking for two key safety components: advanced features to prevent accidents, and strong crash-test ratings to ensure protection in case of an accident. 'This growing emphasis on safety is reflected in our sales performance too,' Velusamy of Mahindra's latest models — the XEV 9e, BE.6, Thar ROXX, XUV 3XO, and XUV 400 — secured five-star ratings under Bharat NCAP (new car assessment programme) in NCAP, the indigenous vehicle crash testing and safety rating system launched in 2023, has helped increase safety awareness among car buyers.'We are communicating to our customers that a few thousand rupees is a very small price to pay for safety of themselves and their loved ones,' said Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer, corporate affairs, Maruti Suzuki The latest model of the Maruti Dzire recently became the first sedan to earn a five-star Bharat NCAP models of the country's largest carmaker are already equipped with electronic stability program (ESP) and other features like ABS with EBD and hill-hold assist in many of its models ahead of the regulatory requirement. It will also offer six airbags as standard across all variants of models within this year, Bharti perception of automotive safety has started evolving beyond airbags and crash scores. Features such as 360-degree cameras, remote surveillance via connected car apps such as Waylens Secure360, and remote driving alerts are increasingly seen as necessities. Parents especially appreciate speed-limiting drive modes when handing over keys to their teenage or new-to-driving children, carmakers expanding view of safety is helping reshape India's $137-billion automotive industry, which is projected to reach $203 billion by 2030, according to Jato Dynamics. Carmakers like Maruti, Tata Motors , Hyundai, Kia, and Mahindra are investing aggressively in R&D, particularly on safety features and structural the progress, India's road safety records remain among the deadliest in the world. The country saw 53 accidents per hour in 2023, with nearly 80% of road fatalities attributed to speeding or substandard vehicle safety, according to government the government tightening regulations and customers demanding the latest safety features, 'the industry faces pressure to align with global standards,' Bhatia said.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Departing deputy says in-fighting slowed progress
The outgoing president of Guernsey's education committee has said in-fighting and differences of opinion slowed its progress during her time in Andrea Dudley-Owen lost her seat on Thursday at Guernsey's general election, missing out on re-election by fewer than 500 told the BBC there had been "considerable barriers put in the way of the education committee this term".She said people "pulling in different directions" meant progress was "inevitably going to be slowed". Dudley-Owen said there needed to be a genuine ability to set aside differences and to draw the accused some deputies of putting "their own children" ahead of the island's children, which she said was "not acceptable"."The most important people in this conversation are our young people - our children. This job is about islanders, not our own families." 'Electorate misled' Dudley-Owen was part of the island's first ever mother-daughter political dynasty - her mother Gloria Dudley-Owen was previously a deputy representing the West said she had an "element of disappointment" about the result but, as a "staunch supporter" of democracy, she accepted the "will of the people".However, she felt a series of "very unfortunate leaks that came out of the States" had impacted the said: "Stories told completely out of context means the electorate unfortunately is quite misled." Dudley-Owen's time as president of Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) saw some major changes to the island's education included reforms to the education law and restructuring of several of Guernsey's schools, including merging two secondary schools."We know that we've done a huge amount - I worked tirelessly," she she said there was a "very big gap" between "where we are objectively" and the public's perception of said she had received an email from a teacher who said she had "managed to deliver a model of education and bring stability".The teacher now found it easier to recruit "quality teachers", Dudley-Owen said. 'Cool head' Dudley-Owen said the gap between the public's perception of education and the reality meant the States needed to improve the way it got its message across."There's clearly been a gap in communication," she said the next president of ESC needed to "keep a cool head"."You are the team leader, it is a team effort," she said, "Make sure your committee members are all paddling together."Dudley-Owen said she did not know if she would return to politics in the future, but would spend time with her "supportive family" while watching politics "from a distance".She said she got into politics because of a "sense of duty", adding: "I love my island; I always will."
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
TCOAP ties up with ESC to strengthen IT firms in southern A.P.
The Technology Companies Association of Andhra Pradesh (TCOAP) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) for strengthening the IT ecosystem in southern Andhra Pradesh. TCOAP President Rayala Vamsikrishna exchanged copy of the MoU with ESC Vice Chairman Rajesh M. Revanker on Thursday (June 19). The collaboration aims to boost export potential and global market access for local MSMEs and start-ups. The ESC, a key trade promotion council supported by the Government of India, facilitates participation in international exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, B2B delegations and policy advocacy for technology exporters. This MoU marks a major milestone in promoting Andhra Pradesh as a preferred destination for technology investments and innovation. This initiative also marks a significant step forward in positioning Tirupati as a rising destination for technology-driven growth and innovation. The meet discussed the importance of developing an IT Park in Tirupati. The event brought together key industry stakeholders and a prominent real estate development firm from Karnataka to deliberate on critical aspects of the proposed project. The discussions focused on land allocation, establishment of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and the potential implementation of the project under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. The TCOAP members reiterated the importance of nurturing regional technology hubs to drive digital transformation, attract private investment and create significant employment opportunities for local talent. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has expressed its support for the initiative, committing to provide the necessary infrastructure and policy framework to facilitate its success.
South China Morning Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Mobile game advocating Hong Kong independence disappears from Apple's App Store
A mobile game application banned for advocating Hong Kong and Taiwan independence can no longer be found on Apple's App Store, according to checks by the Post, following its earlier removal from the Google Play Store. Advertisement Reversed Front: Bonfire, a war-themed game developed by ESC Taiwan and launched in April, did not appear in search results on Wednesday, despite being available for download on the store the previous day. On Tuesday evening, Hong Kong police warned residents against downloading the application, saying those who did would risk breaking the city's national security laws for possessing a seditious publication. Authorities invoked a section of the implementation rules under the Beijing-imposed national security law, allowing police to order relevant electronic platforms to remove access to the game. Police have warned against downloading mobile game application 'Reversed Front: Bonfire', which advocates Hong Kong and Taiwan independence. Photo: Handout According to a check by the Post on Tuesday, the Google Play Store suspended access to download the mobile game following the force's announcement.
