68. The representative of the FIA Foundation introduced WP.29-162-21 presenting the results of a Global NCAP research project “Safer cars for India” on the passive safety performance of the most popular vehicle models in India. WP.29 noted that Global NCAP recommended: (i) to apply UN Regulation No. 94 for all passenger cars, (ii) to mandate the use of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) and (iii) to promote collaboration between governments, manufacturers, their suppliers, automobile clubs and consumer organizations in order to improve adult and child protection in road vehicles.

69. The representative of India informed WP.29, that following these recommendations, actions had already been taken in his country to increase the stringency of vehicle regulations on passive safety. However, a transitional time would be necessary to develop the technical services capacity to perform the related tests. The representative of OICA welcomed these indications but stressed that a holistic approach was needed in order to further improve road safety, taking into account that the individual road transport conditions in the countries were different. He said that, in his opinion, focusing all efforts on vehicle specifications only, thereby making them unaffordable for a large proportion of the population, might in the end be counterproductive in that consumers would find it more difficult to move to safer transportation modes.