BUYER GUIDE: TOP 10 CAR SAFETY FEATURES YOUR VEHICLE MUST HAVE

The modern car buyers have been increasingly focusing on the safety aspects of passenger vehicles. Nowadays, even the used car buyers also check out the safety features before deciding on any vehicle. This shift in consumer preference is legitimate, considering the increased number of vehicles on the road, comparatively higher average speeds of the vehicles than before, and of course the growing awareness about personal safety and consumer rights.

Off late, owing to various government measures and car safety organisations have been promoting car safety ratings, many car buyers have finally understood the importance of having a safe car with solid build quality and key safety features. India has worst record in road safety and the increasing number of fatalities that have been taking place across the country due to road accidents, having a car with a robust build quality and safety features makes a strong sense.

If you are looking for a car, irrespective of new or pre-owned, here are the top 10 safety features the vehicle must have.

Car safety: Active safety and passive safety

Car safety features can be divided into two categories, active safety and passive safety. Here is an explainer.

Active safety

Active safety features keep a car safe and reduce the chance of a crash. These features constantly monitors one or more aspects of a vehicle for potential risks. Some of the common active car safety features include Anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), etc.

Passive safety

Passive safety features come into play when a crash has taken place. These features prevent the occupants from getting injured by reducing the impact of the crash. Some of the common passive car safety features include seatbelts, airbags, ISOFIX mounts, etc.

Top 10 car safety features your vehicle must have

Airbags: Airbags mitigate the crash impact energy and reduces the injury levels for the occupants. While older cars used to come without any airbags or driver airbag or two airbags for front occupants, the modern cars mostly come with multiple airbags like front, side and curtain airbags protective occupants during impacts.

Seatbelts: Seatbelts are highly essential feature to reduce the injury level of the occupants in case of a crash. Customers should look for seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters while buying a car.

ABS with EBD: Another highly important feature, aided by sensors and advanced technology that prevents wheel lock up during hard braking, allowing the driver to have better control over the vehicle during emergency situations.

ISOFIX mounts: ISOFIX mounts come as standardized anchors to secure child seat installation, offering better protection to the children in case of crash.

ESC: Electronic Stability Control (ESC), also known as Electronic Stability Program (ESP), helps prevent wheel skidding by automatically applying brakes to individual wheels, which comes highly effective on slippery surfaces.

TPMS: The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) alerts the drive when the air pressure in tyres are high or low. This feature is crucial for the vehicle's stability and fuel efficiency as well. The TPMS often is installed by the auto OEMs, while it can be purchased from aftermarket as well.

AEB: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) detects potential collisions with vehicles, pedestrians and applies brake automatically if the driver doesn't react. This feature comes highly useful in emergency situations when quick response is required.

BSM: Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) uses sensors, camera to warn the driver of vehicles in his or her blind spots. Blind spots are those, where a driver may not be able to see. This technology monitors those and alerts the driver.

Parking camera and sensors: This is another highly important feature. Most of the cars now come with rear parking camera and sensors, while some get front camera and parking sensors as well. These features mostly come fitted to the vehicles from the OEM, but can be purchased from aftermarket as well. These features help the driver to park the vehicle in tight spaces.

Reinforced structure: A robust structure with strong sheet metals and strong pillars as well as crumple zones ensure better safety of the occupants in case of crash. The robust structure absorbs the crash energy, mitigating impact on the occupants.

2025-12-05T05:19:40Z