South Africa is moving to tighten minimum safety standards for new passenger vehicles, with proposed regulations targeting airbags, side-impact protection and electronic stability control.

The draft compulsory specification was published in Government Gazette No. 54970 on 10 July and is open for public comment for two months.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has welcomed the proposals but wants the requirements to apply across all derivatives and specification levels.

Airbag requirements could increase

The proposed regulations introduce tougher requirements around occupant protection.

The AA said the changes could particularly improve safety in entry-level cars, where manufacturers have often fitted fewer safety features than on more expensive models.

Under the proposal, vehicles would need airbags intended to protect occupants other than the driver.

The AA is also calling for side and curtain airbags to be included across vehicles, particularly if four airbags become the minimum requirement.

Side-impact protection and ESC targeted

Mandatory side-impact protection is another key part of the proposed standards.

Electronic stability control, commonly known as ESC, is also included.

AA CEO Bobby Ramagwede said ESC plays an important role in vehicle safety and stability and can help reduce the risk and severity of some crashes.

The AA wants ESC to be compulsory across every specification level of newly introduced vehicles, rather than being reserved for higher-priced derivatives.

Entry-level cars under spotlight

The AA has repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of cars sold in South Africa following low crash-test scores recorded by some vehicles through the Global NCAP Safer Cars for Africa programme.

Ramagwede said higher-end models generally offer stronger safety equipment, while entry-level versions often have more basic specifications.

He has previously called on manufacturers to improve entry-level vehicle safety without passing additional costs on to consumers.

If the proposed standards are formally gazetted, manufacturers would have six months to ensure all newly introduced cars sold in South Africa comply, regardless of specification level.