What happened
India's updated motor vehicle rules now require new models of electrified vehicles (categories M and N) to have an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS). Existing models get until 1 October 2027 to comply. The system makes a warning sound at low speeds and while reversing, because EVs can move almost silently.
- Effective date
- 1 October 2026 (new models) / 1 October 2027 (existing models) Gazette of India (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
- Vehicle categories
- Electrified vehicles, categories M (passenger) and N (goods) Gazette of India (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
- Sound levels
- 50 dB(A) at 10 km/h; 56 dB(A) at 20 km/h; 47 dB(A) reversing; max 75 dB(A) forward carandbike
Why it matters
Pedestrians, cyclists and people in crowded parking areas get a better chance to notice a quiet EV approaching. New models may carry a small added cost, but the rule does not force existing owners to retrofit.
Remember this
If you are buying an EV, ask whether the specific model and variant meets the AVAS requirement. A compliant system cannot simply be switched off by the driver.
Why it matters
AVAS targets the quiet low-speed zone where tyre and road noise is not enough to alert a pedestrian. It cannot simply be switched off, and it does not replace looking before crossing.
More context & who is affected
India's updated motor vehicle rules now require new models of electrified vehicles (categories M and N) to have an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS). Existing models get until 1 October 2027 to comply.
The system makes a warning sound at low speeds (up to 20 kmph) and while reversing, because EVs can move almost silently. AIS-173 sets minimum sound levels and caps forward motion at 75 dB(A).
Pedestrians, cyclists and people in crowded parking areas get a better chance to notice a quiet EV approaching. The rule does not force existing owners to retrofit, but a compliant system cannot simply be switched off by the driver.
What changed
The rule comes from the Central Motor Vehicles (01st Amendment) Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on 2 January 2026. It inserts a proviso into Rule 120 requiring AVAS on electrified vehicles of categories M and N, phased by new vs existing models.
Public Systems Users · Consumers
Quiet EVs are now audible at low speeds, giving pedestrians and cyclists a better warning cue.
Consumers
New EV models may carry a small added cost for the AVAS hardware, but existing owners are not forced to retrofit.
Reporting fromcarandbike ↗Gazette of India (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) ↗
Sources & verification2 sources · 4 claims
These are the records behind this briefing. Linked reporting is not the same as independent confirmation.
- carandbikeReportingPublished Oct 30, 2026 · Accessed Oct 31, 2026
- Gazette of India (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)Official
Central Motor Vehicles (01st Amendment) Rules, 2026 — G.S.R. 07(E) ↗
Published Jan 6, 2026 · Accessed Oct 31, 2026
Claims and linked sources
New models of covered electrified vehicles (categories M and N) must have AVAS from 1 October 2026; existing models from 1 October 2027.
AVAS sound requirements apply at speeds above 0 and up to 20 kmph, with separate reversing requirements; above 20 kmph the standard does not require AVAS.
AIS-173 specifies minimum sound levels (50 dB(A) at 10 km/h, 56 dB(A) at 20 km/h, 47 dB(A) reversing) and caps forward motion at 75 dB(A).
AIS-173 prohibits a driver-controlled pause function, so a compliant AVAS cannot be switched off by the driver.
