The Centre has proposed making two automatic steering safety systems compulsory on newly manufactured passenger cars intended for commercial registration from 1 October 2029. The draft covers Automatic Command Steering Functionalities (ACSF) and Emergency Lane Keeping Systems (ELKS), technologies currently found mainly in better-equipped cars. If finalised, the requirement would apply to new taxis and similar M1-category transport vehicles, not every existing cab on the road.
The rules would also apply earlier to passenger cars that already offer these features. From October 2027, any newly manufactured M1 vehicle fitted with ACSF or ELKS would have to meet the relevant performance standards. The 2029 step is different because it would require their fitment in the specified new commercial vehicles.
Emergency lane keeping is designed to intervene when a car is about to drift out of its lane or off the road. Instead of only sounding a warning, it can make a limited steering correction, or use selective braking, to help prevent an unintended departure. The applicable standard is AIS-191 Part 1.
Automatically commanded steering functions are governed by AIS-193. The term covers electronic steering assistance that acts on information from the car’s sensors. Depending on the system, this may include help with staying in the selected lane or certain controlled steering manoeuvres. The draft’s use of this umbrella term should not be interpreted as a promise that every taxi will be able to drive itself or change lanes without a driver.
These systems also differ from automatic emergency braking. AEB responds to a possible collision by applying the brakes, while lane-keeping technology focuses on a vehicle’s sideways movement. The government has separately proposed compulsory AEB for new passenger-car models from October 2030 and existing production models from October 2032.
Commercial passenger cars can spend long hours on highways and in city traffic. Lane-departure assistance could be useful when a driver is momentarily distracted or fatigued, particularly at higher speeds where crossing into another lane can have serious consequences.
But real roads present difficulties. Painted lane markings may disappear at junctions, be obscured by rain or be missing altogether. Construction diversions and unpredictable movements by other road users can also limit what a camera-based system can reliably detect. The equipment must alert the driver clearly and allow appropriate driver control rather than encouraging dependence on an electronic correction.
For taxi operators, mandatory fitment means an additional specification to consider when replacing fleet vehicles after the proposed date. Cameras, steering actuators, calibration and repairs could increase ownership costs, although the government has not published a rupee estimate. Manufacturers that already offer lane-keeping functions may find compliance easier than those selling basic commercial variants without them.
The wording applies to relevant vehicles manufactured from October 2029 that are to be registered as transport vehicles. It does not direct owners of older taxis to retrofit steering sensors or electronic control systems, and it does not automatically apply the taxi rule to privately registered cars.