Mandatory AC cabins in trucks: Automakers ask govt to put decision on hold

Say truck makers have worked for 2 years to bring BS-IV emission norms, making AC cabins will require structural changes and fresh approvals

Truck makers are not ready to introduce air conditioned cabins across vehicles from April 2017, as mandated by a government notification early this month.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (Siam) has written to the government urging it to keep the decision to make AC cabin for trucks mandatory on hold. "The industry has worked for the past two years to bring BS-IV emission norm in trucks from April 2017. All these vehicles are in advanced stages of approvals and many have already been approved. Making the cabin air-conditioned will require structural changes and (will necessitate) taking approvals afresh. They (truck makers) will have to go to the drawing board again. It is simply not possible in the next four months," a Siam official said. 

Leading truck makers, including Tata Motors, have been making air-conditioned cabins during the past few years, but demand has been low. "What will the driver do with an AC, if the fleet owner does not let him run it, as mileage goes down," an industry official asked. 

Siam has argued that installing an AC does not improve road safety for truck drivers. "It is a comfort issue. The government should bring rules that prevent fleet owners from making a truck driver work for more than eight hours without a proper break," he said.

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had told Parliament in March, that the Centre had made air-conditioning mandatory, as it would reduce the number of road accidents.

“Making truck drivers’ cabins air-conditioned will be made mandatory as they drive up to 12 hours at a stretch at times,” he had said, adding that the move was necessary as the sweltering heat the cabins causes drivers to lose their mental equilibrium, and can lead to mishaps.

Another argument against the move is the cost. The movement towards BS-IV emission norms from April next year is estimated to drive up prices significantly and impact demand.