The Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment (SAFE), an initiative of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), hosted the 27th SAFE Annual Convention in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under its Safe Journey (सुरक्षित सफर) initiative.
Held under the theme ‘Safe Journey: A Collective Journey Towards Safety with Responsibility’ (सुरक्षित सफ़र: सुरक्षा और ज़िम्मेदारी की ओर एक सांझी यात्रा), the convention was organised in association with the Transport Department and Gujarat Road Safety Authority, Government of Gujarat.
The event brought together policymakers, automotive industry representatives and road safety experts to discuss responsible road use, stronger safety practices and collaborative approaches to improving road safety across India.
Speaking as the Chief Guest, Mr Pravin Gordhanji Mali, Minister of State, Forests and Environment, Climate Change, Transport, Government of Gujarat, emphasised the importance of building a culture of responsibility among road users. “Building a culture of respect on our roads is essential if we want to reduce fatalities and make mobility safer. Awareness, behaviour and civic sense are just as important as technology in improving road safety.”
Mr P R Patelia, Secretary, Roads & Buildings Department, Government of Gujarat, who attended as Guest of Honour, highlighted the complexity of India’s road environment and the need for innovative approaches. “In India, we have seven or eight different categories of vehicles on roads impacting the traffic mix, along with many other road users. The more innovative solutions we develop by brainstorming, the better equipped we will be to address our road safety challenges.”
Also speaking at the event, Mr Satish Patel, IAS (Retd.), Commissioner, Gujarat Road Safety Authority, Government of Gujarat, described road safety as an ongoing challenge requiring sustained collective action. “Road safety is a major challenge. It is a battle that we must fight, and we must continue fighting it. If all of us work together, put in the effort, and dedicate ourselves to this cause, we can make a real difference.”
Ms Sahitya V, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Government of Gujarat, highlighted the need to look beyond vehicle occupants when developing road safety technologies. “Road safety is 25% about driver safety and 75% about the people who are on the road. We are currently focusing on driver safety. We need to develop technology to ensure person outside the vehicle is also protected.”
The 27th SAFE Annual Convention reinforced the importance of a coordinated approach involving government authorities, industry stakeholders, law enforcement and road users. The discussions focused on combining technology, awareness, responsible behaviour and innovative solutions to create a safer and more inclusive mobility ecosystem in India.
Mr Alok Jaitley, President, SAFE and Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. Said, “India’s growth aspirations demand a mobility ecosystem that not only fuels economic development, enhances connectivity and expands opportunities for millions, but also does so in a manner that is safe, responsible, efficient and environmentally sustainable. Road safety is a shared responsibility. Only when the efforts of all stakeholders come together can we move from individual interventions to an integrated road safety ecosystem.”
Mr Vinay Dhingra, Vice President, SAFE & Senior Director, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. Said, “The industry’s commitment to road safety continues through safer vehicle technologies, advanced safety standards, road safety awareness, rider and driver training, and community initiatives. Our task to convert dialogue into action, partnerships into projects, and intent into measurable improvement.”
The inaugural session, themed ‘A Systems Approach to Road Safety in India,’ saw the unveiling of the SIAM-SAFE Context Paper, “Analysing India’s Imperatives for Road Safety,” by Shri Pravin Gordhanji Mali, Minister of State, Forests and Environment, Climate Change, Transport, Govt. of Gujarat.
The Hon’ble Minister also launched several new road safety initiatives, including the HMSI–Gujarat Road Safety Authority Road Safety Project in Ahmedabad and the NID–Gujarat Road Safety Authority Road Safety Awareness Project in Gandhinagar.
During the conclave, 12 Road Safety Warriors of Gujarat were awarded for their outstanding contributions towards promoting road safety.
On this occasion, the Hon’ble Minister also inaugurated the Sustainable Mobility Expo, which showcased 10 vehicles from leading OEMs, along with a VECV eye check-up van. The participating OEMs included Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, TVS, Mahindra & Mahindra, Skoda, Ashok Leyland/Switch, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., and VE Commercial Vehicles. The vehicles spanned two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars and commercial vehicle, highlighting advancements in sustainable mobility and road safety.
The inaugural session was also addressed by Mr Atanu Ganguli, Executive Director – Technical, SIAM. He said, “The safest vehicle is not a substitute for the safest road, and the safest road cannot compensate indefinitely for unsafe behaviour. We need all three.”
The first thematic session, ‘Enforcement & Evaluation: Data-Driven Enforcement and Measurable Accountability in Road Safety Governance,’ highlighted the role of data in strengthening enforcement and accountability. Moderated by Mr Ashim Sharma, Senior Partner & Group Head, NRI, and chaired by Mr Bhagwan K. Bindiganavile, Treasurer, SAFE & Executive VP, VE Commercial Vehicles, the session included presentations by Mr Ashim Sharma on India’s road safety ecosystem, Presentation by Mr J J Chaudhari, Dy Director, Transport Dept, Govt of Gujarat, Mr Amrit Choudhary, CEO & Founder, Parking Bot, on intelligent parking management, and Mr Sudershan S. Gusain, Chairman, Tyre Safety Awareness Group, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association, on tyre safety.
The panel also included, Mr G. S. Malik, IPS, DG & Inspector General of Police, Government of Gujarat; Mr Satish Patel, IAS, Commissioner, Gujarat Road Safety Authority; Mr Ramashankar Pandey, CEO, Work with Dignity Foundation & Chairperson, BARS; and Mr Murtuza Shabbir Painter, Project Head – RASSI/JPRI.
Guest of Honour of the session Mr G. S. Malik, IPS, DG & Inspector General of Police, Government of Gujarat, said, “Every step that we take in this AI enabled ecosystem should be grounded in data and every improvement should be visible on our roads. Data and artificial intelligence should be used not only for enforcement but also for better planning. Gujarat has upscaled its enforcement multi-fold in past 2 years and thus demonstrated the possibilities of its application.”
The convention also included a fireside chat on ‘5Es, One Mission: Safer Roads, Safer Lives,’ which explored the future of road safety in India. The discussion highlighted Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Care and Evaluation as key pillars for safer mobility. Moderated by Ms Latika Taneja, Head – Corporate Communications, Corporate Affairs & CSR, Hero MotoCorp Ltd., the conversation included Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy, WMG, University of Warwick, UK, and Dr Subroto Das, Founder, CEO & Managing Trustee, Lifeline Foundation.
The second thematic session, ‘Education & Engineering: Behavioral Education and Technology Interventions for Safer Roads,’ focused on using education, technology and design to promote safer mobility. Moderated by Mr Anuj Guglani, Founder & CEO, WAF Group, and chaired by Mr Gururaj Ravi, Vice President, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., the session included presentations by Mr Samved Patil, Partner, Grant Thornton; Mr Dilip Shrivastava, Head of Mechatronics – Product Engineering, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd.; and Mr Jimit Raval, Director & Co-Founder, Nexgits Pvt. Ltd. The panel discussion included Mr Ravi J. Nirmal, Secretary, GSRTC; Mr Jitendra Singh Rajput, Dean, Gandhinagar Campus, NID & CEO-In-Charge, NDBI; Ms Mukti Advani, Senior Principal Scientist, Transport Planning and Environment, CRRI; and Mr Yashpal Sachar, Sr. Vice President, Ashok Leyland Ltd., along with the session speakers, who discussed behavioural education, technology and design interventions for safer roads.
SIAM continues to work with policymakers, industry and other stakeholders to promote safer, cleaner and sustainable mobility in India. Through its various initiatives, SIAM and its members support the adoption of new technologies, alternative fuels, responsible road use and sustainable practices, in line with its vision of Building the Nation, Responsibly.
