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At a time when the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is trying to put in place legislation for vehicle recall, a transport research body has written to the Consumer Affairs Ministry, seeking a tyre recall mechanism. The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training has also pitched for its inclusion in the new road safety Bill, as tyres have a big impact on the safety and performance of a vehicle.
They called for manufacturers to define the quality parameters of tyres, such as the limits of rolling resistance or friction.
“To protect consumers, the limits for rolling resistance of tyres in India for mandatory tyre recall mechanism should be brought in the country,” said S.P Singh, Senior Fellow of the IFTRT told BusinessLine . Incidentally, Singh is also part of the All India Tyre Dealers Federation.
As vehicle owners change tyres during the course of using a vehicle, accountability for the problems caused due to tyres lies with the tyre manufacturer, not the vehicle manufacturer, Singh said. The US, Europe, Japan, Korea and China have mandatory tyre recall mechanisms, whereas India does not have any such rule yet, he added.
Tyre brands sold in India do conform to the tyre recall mechanism, as observed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). He said the Consumer Affairs Ministry has a critical role in protecting tyre consumers, as vehicle population is multiplying, as is the challenge of consumer safety on account of tyre failure. Singh added that tyre burst was one of the major causes of fatal accidents involving motor vehicles on highways. In the letter, IFTRT said after it was made mandatory that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certify tyres and tubes mandatory for quality and safety, it is important that India introduces mandatory tyre recall mechanism. Such mechanism should also be developed by BIS and incorporated in the Road Transport and Safety Bill, which has a provision for vehicle recall.
The tyre industry in India has been growing exponentially in recent years, with an estimated turnover of over ₹50,000 crore in 2014-15. There are about 40 tyre companies in India with about 60 plants.
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