New Delhi, June 25 -- Buyers planning to buy an automobile-from a two-wheeler to even a truck-may have to brace for higher prices soon. New government regulations, including mandatory AC cabins for trucks and a likely anti-lock braking system (ABS) for all two-wheelers, are set to drive up manufacturing costs that may be passed on to consumers, according to industry captains and analysts.

Further, a rise in input prices of key raw materials such as aluminium, and a global squeeze on rare earth magnets is adding to the pressure, leaving industry leaders and analysts to predict a potential wave of price hikes across autos, especially two wheelers and commercial vehicles (CVs) like trucks. To be sure, prices of cars, which have already been...