JD Power APEAL Study: Indian Car Buyers More Concerned About Safety

Indian car buyers more concerned about safety

Indian car buyers more concerned about safety and satisfied with getting standard features reveals 2016 J.D. Power APEAL Study

Indian customers have never been known for very enthusiastic about car safety. But as it seems, the new age buyers have become more concerned about in-car safety features and they are satisfied with the protective measures being offered in the modern vehicles.

In the APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) study conducted by the J.D. Power India, it has been found that the trend in Indian market is going towards a positive direction. Indian customers have always been known for purchasing cars considering factors like design, fuel economy and practicality. Safety was never a concern for the general buyers but the mindset has changed lately.

arc-airbag-0.jpg

Also read: India-Bound Volkswagen Tiguan Gets Best-In-Class Safety Title from Euro NCAP

Currently, domestic customers focus on the safety features like airbags, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), etc. In fact, Indian government is also making it mandatory for the new cars to come equipped with such features. In 2015 during the same study, out of 1000 the score was 846, while this year it has increased to 862. No wonder, several factors like government mandate and safety campaigning have played crucial role in building the awareness among buyers in the country.

Presently half of the new cars in the domestic market come equipped with dual front airbags which has been increased by 38% from 2015. Popular automakers like Maruti Suzuki and Honda offer front airbags across all variants either as standard or as option. The vehicles fitted with airbags sold 11% higher than the vehicles without them.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio Diesel Launch Alloy Wheel

Also read: Maruti Ciaz Gets ISOFIX Mounts as Standard for Improved Safety

Speaking about the ABS, half of the new cars sold here are equipped with this feature, while one-third of the entry level car sales come from it. Vehicles with hands free connectivity has seen a 5% rise in sales in India, compared to the cars without this technology.