Move over 6 airbags — Indian car owners want rolling CCTV on wheels. Dashcams emerge as top pick for mandatory safety tech amid rising road rage and insurance woes.
In a dramatic plot twist worthy of a Fast & Furious sequel, a new survey by Park+ Research Labs has revealed that nearly half of India’s urban car owners would now rather have a camera watching their every move — than six airbags cushioning them from one.
In a survey of 3,000 car owners across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore, a whopping 48% voted for front and rear dashcams as the must-have safety feature in new vehicles — leaving traditional heavyweights like 5-star crash ratings and airbag counts eating digital dust.
“Today’s urban roads are more reality show than racetrack,” said a Park+ spokesperson, possibly while reviewing yet another viral road rage reel. “From unpredictable bikers to YouTube-worthy arguments over parking spots, Indian drivers are now prioritising proof over protection.”
From Brakes to Bytes: The Changing Face of Safety
While 32% of respondents still backed Bharat NCAP 5-star ratings, they admitted it’s now the bare minimum they expect from OEMs — more checklist than choice.
Surprisingly, only 10% of participants chose 6 airbags as essential. And a meagre 8% swerved toward all-wheel disc brakes.
The rest — well, just 2% cited “other features,” which probably included things like “a horn that works like a lightsaber” or “seatbelt reminders that don’t yell at you like your mom.”
Why Dashcams are Having a Moment
The dashcam, once the darling of YouTubers and insurance agents, is now going mainstream. With rising incidents of:
- Hit-and-run cases,
- Insurance fraud,
- Road rage episodes, and
- The occasional cow dispute caught on tape,
drivers are choosing the feature that gives them an extra set of eyes and the moral high ground in every argument.
“Crash ratings help in the moment,” said one respondent from Bangalore. “But dashcams help in the comments section.”
What This Means for Automakers
The message is clear: Indian car buyers are no longer content with just airbags and ABS. They want tech-powered accountability. Carmakers would do well to swap out chrome accents for crisp footage and focus on digital defence mechanisms rather than just physical reinforcements.
Because if there’s one thing today’s drivers value more than a sturdy chassis, it’s video evidence that says, ‘It wasn’t my fault.’
As India’s roads get denser, drivers sharper, and tempers shorter, the humble dashcam has emerged as the knight in plastic casing. The next-gen car isn’t just about going faster or safer — it’s about capturing the chaos, one clip at a time.
