Trade-off in safety norms: EV makers say Oct 1 deadline impossible to meet

Let’s say a thief entered your premises by breaking a glass window. To prevent such occurrences, you can protect the windows with cheap iron bars, install costlier toughened glass or fortify your residence by ordering expensive security glass. All three work to varying degrees; the decision depends on how much you can afford. Now, if the government mandates security glass in every home to clamp down on robberies, some households may simply brick up their windows and others may violate the rules by installing cheap iron grills. Very few can afford bullet-proof glass.

This trade-off also applies to the new safety standards introduced by the government for electric vehicles (EVs) with effect from October 1. They have been conceived as