New Delhi: Former Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry passed away on Sunday in a road accident near Mumbai.
Mistry and three others were headed to Ahmedabad when the accident took place near Palghar after the driver lost control of the car and banged in a river bridge. Mistry suffered grievous injuries due to the accident and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Must read: Airbags of Cyrus Mistry's Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV worked; not wearing seat belt cost his life
It is alleged that the rear seat airbags did not deploy with the impact of the accident killing Mistry and his co-passenger.
Several media reports including police statement suggest that the rear seat airbags were not deployed.
However, a videography of the damaged car showed a green cover on the windows which works as airbags for the rear seat.
With many people raising their concerns about the safety in a Mercedes-Benz GLC, India’s largest-selling luxury brand’s best-selling model, the high-end brand’s image may take a beating, according to brand experts.
Speaking with NewsDrum.in, Brand Guru Harish Bijoor, Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc., said that this incident will surely hit brand Mercedes if this is a truth and not a rumour.
“Brand Mercedes and its safety standards stand punctured if the reports are true,” said Bijoor.
This unfortunate incident has also raised questions of road safety and has shifted focus on car safety standards like European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).
The Global NCAP tests cars on various parameters and assigns a rating out of 5 stars primarily on adult and child safety.
In Mercedes Benz GLC there are 7 Airbags with Knee Airbag for Driver.
Another brand expert who did not want to be named on this matter said that no matter what the specifications are or what Mercedes will say on this, a common man thinks safe after hearing 7 airbags.
“How would a customer know that out of 7 airbags, no one is able to save the passenger sitting on the rear seat. This is surely going to dent the brand when it comes to new buyers,” the expert said.
Recently, Global NCAP released a list of the safest cars in India. Among the passenger cars, Mahindra XUV700 SUV, Tata Punch and Honda City were considered to be some of the safest cars on Indian roads.
Earlier this year, the road transport ministry said it would make it mandatory for carmakers to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles that can carry up to 8 passengers for enhanced safety of occupants from October 2022.
After Mistry’s death, Twitteratis started questing the safety standards of Mercedes.
A few Twitter users saw some conspiracy behind Mistry’s death and demanded investigation into this incident.
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