Bharat NCAP Crash Tests Receive A Go Ahead From Government

Cars sold in India will now be crash tested in the country itself

• Draft notification for Bharat NCAP crash test rating approved by the government. 

• The testing protocol will be in line with the global crash test rules. 

• Six airbags, ESC, three-point seat belt for all passengers, and advanced emergency braking could be mandatory for good safety rating. 

• Bharat NCAP could come into play by the end of 2023. 

To encourage safer cars, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved the draft notification for Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). With this, the cars in India can be crash tested in the country and awarded safety ratings. 

I have now approved the Draft GSR Notification to introduce Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program), wherein automobiles in India shall be accorded Star Ratings based upon their performance in Crash Tests. @PMOIndia

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) June 24, 2022

The Union Minister said, “The testing protocol of Bharat NCAP shall be aligned with Global Crash Test Protocols factoring in the existing Indian regulations, allowing OEMs to get their vehicles tested at India’s own in-house testing facilities.”

Going by an earlier government document, the ratings will be based on a 12-point initiative, which could include mandatory features such as six airbags, ESC, three-point seat belt for all passengers, and advanced emergency braking system. So if these features are standard in the to-be-tested car, it might score better ratings. 

Currently, cars that are sold in India are crash tested at the ADAC technical centre in Germany by Global NCAP. This incurs transportation and logistic costs, which would be drastically reduced when the tests are conducted in India. However, for the crash tests, certain infrastructure needs to be developed, and the government is expected to start working on them soon. 

• Here Are The Top 15 Cars With The Highest Crash Test Ratings
• Why 6 Airbags Will Only Make A Small Impact On Improving Car Safety In India

This move will not only make more cars accessible for crash test ratings, but will also increase the export-worthiness of cars from India, as it’s one of the leading automobile exporters in the world.