Contents
Introduction
India accounts for 11% of global road accident deaths, with 1.68 lakh fatalities in 2022 (MoRTH report). Bharat NCAP 2.0 marks a critical shift toward crashworthiness-focused safety beyond mere roadworthiness compliance.
Road Safety Concerns
- Road safety in India remains a grave public health challenge. According to WHO Global Road Safety Report 2023, road crashes are the leading cause of death among 5–29-year-olds, emphasizing the need for robust safety frameworks.
- While roadworthiness ensures a vehicle is mechanically fit to operate, crashworthiness evaluates survivability and injury mitigation during collisions, making Bharat NCAP 2.0 a transformative safety mechanism.
Potential of Bharat NCAP 2.0 in Enhancing Safety
- Broadened safety assessment verticals: Bharat NCAP 2.0 incorporates five evaluation dimensions—Safe Driving (10%), Accident Avoidance (10%), Crash Protection (55%), Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Protection (20%), and Post-Crash Safety (5%). This integrated approach shifts from compliance-based safety to outcome-based safety performance.
- Expanded crash testing regime: The number of mandatory crash tests has increased from 3 to 5, including:
- 64 km/h frontal impact (deformable barrier)
- 50 km/h side impact
- 32 km/h pole test
- 50 km/h full-width frontal
- 50 km/h rear impact
Use of Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) scientifically assesses injury risk, promoting better structural integrity and restraint systems.
- Protection of vulnerable road users: Pedestrians account for over 20% of Indian crash deaths (MoRTH). Bharat NCAP 2.0 introduces headform and legform impact tests along with optional Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS) for pedestrian and motorcyclist scenarios, aligning with UN Regulation 127.
- Greater emphasis on safety technologies: ESC becomes mandatory for star rating eligibility, while AEBS, lane assist, and reverse collision mitigation support accident avoidance. This addresses India’s high share of collision-related deaths caused by driver error (77%).
- Stricter star rating benchmarks: The threshold for 4-star and 5-star ratings rises to 65 and 80 points. A 5-star vehicle cannot score zero in any vertical, reducing rating inflation and enhancing accountability.
Crashworthiness vs Roadworthiness
| Roadworthiness | Crashworthiness |
| Ensures vehicle can safely operate | Ensures survival in crash scenario |
| Mechanical and emission checks | Structural integrity, restraint efficiency |
| Minimum regulatory compliance | Performance-based global benchmarking |
| Preventive focus only | Preventive + Protective + Post-crash management |
- Roadworthiness ensures vehicles function safely, but cannot prevent catastrophic fatalities from structural failure, as seen in cases of compact cars that met regulatory norms but performed poorly in Global NCAP tests (e.g., early Maruti S-Presso, Renault Kwid).
- Bharat NCAP 2.0 aligns Indian standards with Euro NCAP and ASEAN NCAP, supporting export competitiveness and domestic consumer awareness.
Conclusion
As Nitin Gadkari notes in India Drives Transformative Mobility, safety must precede affordability. Bharat NCAP 2.0 symbolizes systemic reform beyond compliance, making Indian roads safer for passengers and pedestrians alike.
