What is India’s new car safety rating protocol

Source: The post is based on the article “What is India’s new car safety rating protocol”  published in Indian Express on 25th August 2023.

What is the news?

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways has recently launched the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP).

What is Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP)?

Under the Bharat NCAP, cars voluntarily nominated by automobile manufacturers will be crash tested as per protocols laid down in the soon-to-be-published Automotive Industry Standard 197. 

The programme is applicable to passenger vehicles with not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat with gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3,500 kgs. Only the base model of a particular variant will be tested.

Cars will be assigned a rating between one star to five stars after being evaluated on three parameters — adult occupant protection, child occupant protection and safety assist technologies present in the car.

How has Bharat NCAP evolved?

The testing protocols adopted by the Bharat NCAP are modelled on the Global NCAP, which is a project of the U.K.-based NGO, Towards Zero Foundation. 

It serves as a platform for cooperation among new car assessment programmes worldwide, including countries such as the U.S. which has the world’s oldest crash testing regime since 1978.

The NGO launched a Safer Cars for India campaign in 2014 when it released the country’s first independent crash tests covering the Suzuki-Maruti Alto 800, the Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen Polo. All but one of the five models failed the test.

Why does car testing matter?

Car Testing is important for several reasons:

Safety: Testing ensures that cars meet safety standards and perform well in crash scenarios. This helps protect the lives of both passengers and pedestrians.

Export Potential: Testing helps determine the export-worthiness of cars.When cars pass rigorous tests, it makes them more attractive to international markets, boosting the country’s automotive exports.

Consumer Confidence: Consumers can make informed choices when purchasing vehicles based on test results. Knowing that a car has undergone safety and quality tests can increase consumer confidence.

Road Safety: In countries with high rates of road accidents, like India, car testing is crucial for improving road safety. Testing helps identify and promote the production of safer vehicles.

Global Commitments: Under the Stockholm Declaration, India has committed to reducing the number of road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent by 2030.