AIS 140 (Automotive Industry Standard 140) is a specification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, that defines the technical and functional requirements for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) device to be fitted in commercial vehicles.
The standard mandates real-time GPS tracking, panic/emergency buttons for passenger safety, data transmission to a government-designated server (VAHAN), and tamper-proof hardware. Every device must be type-approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) or ICAT before deployment.
ARAI Certified · MoRTH Approved
Maharashtra RTO has mandated AIS 140 fitment across all major commercial vehicle categories. Here's what applies to your fleet:
All goods carriages operating on national or state highways in Maharashtra must carry an AIS 140 compliant device and an emergency button.
MSRTC buses and private stage carriages including contract carriages must be fitted with AIS 140 GPS integrated with the Maharashtra SRTC control room.
School buses must have AIS 140 GPS with panic button, speed governor, and live tracking accessible to parents and school administration.
All radio taxis, app-based cabs, and permit-holders under Maharashtra RTO are required to install MoRTH-approved AIS 140 devices.
Under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, operators without AIS 140 GPS can be fined ₹500 for first offence and ₹1,500 for subsequent offences. Permit cancellation is also possible.
Maharashtra requires live telematics data to be shared with the state-designated server. Dhundhoo devices are pre-configured for seamless VAHAN and state portal integration.
AIS 140 devices must be inspected during annual fitness certificate renewal. Faulty or tampered devices must be replaced before a fitness certificate is issued.
Maharashtra government periodically announces subsidy schemes for small fleet operators fitting AIS 140 devices. Dhundhoo helps you navigate eligibility and paperwork.
MoRTH issues AIS 140 standard for vehicle tracking
Mandatory fitment begins for new commercial vehicles
Maharashtra RTO starts enforcement; existing fleet retrofit mandated
Integration with VAHAN & state control rooms enforced
Stricter penalty regime for non-compliance across Maharashtra
All commercial passenger vehicles including state transport buses, school buses, contract carriages, taxis, auto-rickshaws operating on permit, and goods vehicles above a certain GVW registered in Maharashtra are required to install an AIS 140 certified GPS device.
The Maharashtra Transport Department (RTO) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is the nodal authority that enforces AIS 140 compliance across the state.
Non-compliant vehicles are liable to have their fitness certificate / permit cancelled, and operators can face fines and legal action under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Yes, the device requires a SIM card with data connectivity to transmit location data to the VAHAN server as well as to the state-level monitoring centre (Maharashtra SRTC control room for state buses).
Yes. Dhundhoo's AIS 140-certified GPS devices are pre-configured to push data to the national VAHAN platform and can simultaneously feed your fleet management dashboard with real-time telematics.