India's New EV Sound Rule Kicks In: What the AVAS Mandate Means for Electric Car Buyers

Why Quiet EVs Now Have to Make a Sound A new safety rule has quietly come into force for India's electric vehicles. From 1 October 2026, new electrified models in categories M (passenger vehicles) and N (goods vehicles) must be fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) that meets the audibility requirements of AIS-173. The idea is straightforward: electric vehicles are nearly silent at low speed, which makes them harder for pedestrians, cyclists and the visually impaired to detect. AVAS adds an artificial sound at low speed and in reverse to give a warning.

Vehicle status Compliance date What it means New electrified M and N models 1 October 2026 AVAS must meet AIS-173 audibility Existing electrified M and N models 1 October 2027 Extra time for makers under the final rule Where the Rule Comes From The requirement flows from the Central Motor Vehicles (First Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified through Gazette notification G.S.R. 07(E) on 2 January 2026, which adds an AVAS provision to Rule 120 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Category M covers vehicles that carry passengers, including cars and buses, while category N covers goods vehicles such as trucks.

What Buyers Should Actually Check This is a compliance and safety item, not a price or range change. The notification does not add a surcharge, alter certified range or introduce any new charge. The practical step for a buyer is to ask the dealer whether a specific electric model is classified as a new model for the AVAS rule and whether its documentation references AIS-173, then check the owner's manual to understand when the alert sound operates and how it changes with speed or reverse. With electric cars crossing 8% of India's passenger-vehicle market in September 2026, the rule touches a growing number of buyers. For the wider picture, see our electric coverage, and compare models on the Compare page.

(Sources: Gazette of India G.S.R. 07(E), Central Motor Vehicles (First Amendment) Rules 2026, Times of India, The Economic Times)