India considers mandatory V2V communication by 2026 amid feasibility concerns
India is considering making vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication mandatory by the end of 2026 as part of a broader push to reduce road accidents and improve safety outcomes. The proposal was outlined by union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari following a meeting involving transport officials from 28 states and Union Territories, where measures for road safety reform were discussed.
The government views V2V as a tool for enabling vehicles to share key safety information directly, such as location, speed, braking and direction, which could allow drivers to receive hazard alerts even when dangers are not visible.
To support the system, the Department of Telecommunications has agreed in principle to allocate 30MHz of spectrum in the 5.875-5.905GHz band. Under the plan, vehicles would be fitted with on-board units that transmit and receive safety messages.
These units are estimated to cost between Rs. 5000 and Rs. 7000 per vehicle and the government is expected to first mandate their fitment on new vehicles, with retrofits for older vehicles and commercial fleets to follow later.
The rollout is linked to India’s broader goal of halving road fatalities by 2030, with the argument that V2V can reduce collision risks in scenarios like sudden braking, low visibility, stationary vehicles or blind-spot intersections, where conventional sensors relying on line-of-sight may not be sufficient.
Although the safety benefits are clear, several challenges make the 2026 timeline difficult. Technical standards are still being drafted with carmakers, and once finalised, manufacturers will need time to integrate, validate and ensure interoperability across model ranges and brands.
Added hardware costs could also impact vehicle prices in a highly cost-sensitive market. While V2V spectrum has been allocated in multiple regions globally, including Europe, the United States and China, large-scale deployment remains limited, meaning India could face hurdles in executing a nationwide rollout within the proposed timeframe. Programme costs have been estimated at around Rs. 5000 crore, though further details are awaited.
India recorded more than five lakh road accidents and over 1.7 lakh fatalities in 2023, making accident reduction a priority. The government sees V2V as one component within a wider set of interventions that includes improved infrastructure, stricter norms and wider adoption of advanced driver assistance systems.
Although V2V is not an autonomous driving system, it does represent a shift toward greater automation in road safety, adding complexity to policy discussions around technology, cost and implementation. Whether the country can transition from concept to deployment by the end of 2026 will depend on regulatory clarity, industry coordination and how quickly standards and supply chains are put in place.