SIAM Convenes Second SAFAR Summit to Advance India's Road Safety Agenda

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted the second edition of its Summit on Automotive Future Advancement in Road Safety (SAFAR) in New Delhi on February 17, 2026, as part of the four-day SIAM Sustainable Mobility Week 2026. Held under the theme 'Drive to Zero: Strengthening Policies, Preparedness, and Partnerships,' the summit brought together government officials, automobile manufacturers, research institutions, emergency care professionals, and civil society organisations to address India's persistent road safety crisis.

India records approximately 4.8 lakh road accidents every year, with fatalities running close to 1.5 lakh annually. Two-wheelers are involved in nearly 70 per cent of those accidents, while rear seat-belt compliance remains low across the country. Against this backdrop, SIAM used the summit to launch a context paper titled 'Advancing Road Safety Through Systemic Policy Reform,' outlining recommendations for stronger regulatory frameworks and better institutional.

The inaugural session, titled 'Strengthening India's Road Safety Framework Through Government and Industry Collaboration,' was addressed by Chief Guest Dr. Rajshekhar Joshi, Vice Chairman of Sethu Aayog (Uttarakhand), and Guest of Honour Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety. Dr. Joshi called for a mission-oriented approach to road safety education and highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence in identifying accident-prone black spots and strengthening emergency response systems. Bandopadhyaya stressed the importance of inter-agency coordination among police, health, transport, and insurance bodies, and pointed to the central government's zero-fatality programme across 100 districts as a key intervention.

A dedicated technical session focused on innovation in vehicular safety technology, with presentations covering Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Driver Monitoring Systems, digital radio innovations, and vision-based road safety tools. Chalumuri Ravi Shekhar, Director of the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), highlighted the iRASTE initiative in Telangana, which uses AI to target a 50 per cent reduction in road crashes. Panellists noted that while vehicle technology continues to advance, unsafe road infrastructure and driver behaviour remain significant contributing factors that technology alone cannot resolve.

The summit also featured a workshop on post-crash response, examining how gaps in the trauma care chain contribute to preventable deaths. Speakers noted that medical teams are often forced into damage control rather than proactive early care due to insufficient pre-hospital protocols and delayed emergency activation. A panel discussion moderated by Sumit Chaturvedi of VoiWorld.com explored community-focused safety models, shared data frameworks, and future-ready partnership structures between government, industry, and civil society.

Running parallel to the conference sessions, SIAM's Sustainable Mobility Zone provided a live showcase of next-generation vehicle platforms, alternative fuel solutions, and advanced safety systems. The four-day Sustainable Mobility Week, running from February 16 to 19, will continue with the 4th International Conference on Sustainable Circularity on February 18 and conclude with the 1st International Conference on Automotive Material Compliance and Sustainability on February 19.

SIAM, which represents all major vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in India, has framed its road safety initiatives under its broader mission of 'Building the Nation Responsibly,' linking automotive sector growth to India's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.