MoRTH makes AVAS mandatory for these EVs: Dates, tech explained

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has moved to tighten safety norms for electric vehicles by making Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) mandatory across a wider range of EVs. As per a new draft notification, new private and commercial electric vehicles will need to be equipped with AVAS from October 1, 2026, while existing models will get time until October 1, 2027, to comply with the requirement.

The updated rule now includes e-rickshaws and e-karts as well. In regulatory terms, MoRTH has added L5 and L7 vehicle categories to the earlier mandate that covered M and N category vehicles. The move is aimed at improving pedestrian safety, especially in urban areas, where the near-silent operation of electric vehicles has raised concerns about accidents involving unaware road users.




MoRTH has put the draft notification in the public domain and invited feedback and suggestions within a 30-day window. Once finalised, the regulation will apply to all new EVs sold in the country from the October 2026 deadline, while manufacturers of existing models will be required to retrofit the system by October 2027.

What is AVAS?

An Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System is a safety feature designed specifically for electric and hybrid vehicles. Since EVs produce very little noise at low speeds, AVAS uses external speakers to generate an artificial sound that alerts pedestrians and motorists to the vehicle’s presence. The sound typically varies with speed and is especially active during low-speed driving and while reversing, when the risk of accidents is higher.

In terms of vehicle categories, M category includes electric passenger vehicles such as cars and buses, while N category covers electric trucks and goods carriers. The newly added L5 category refers to three-wheeled vehicles, including passenger and cargo auto-rickshaws, while L7 includes heavy quadricycles, which are often used for utility or cargo purposes.Discover everything about the automotive world at Times of India.