Bharat New Car Assessment Program Is Finally Here!

The Indian government will put the new Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) into action on October 1, 2023

It’s official, India now has its own institution to carry out crash tests of new and existing cars sold in the country for the purpose of assigning safety ratings thanks to the newly introduced Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Need Of Bharat NCAP

The Indian government has rolled out its own version of the crash-testing agency, which is in line with internationally established facilities such as the Global NCAP, Euro NCAP, Australian NCAP, and Latin NCAP. 

By conducting crash tests locally, carmakers won’t have to bear the expense of sending their offerings to global players. Gadkari, during the Bharat NCAP presentation, also revealed that the cost of testing a car internationally is Rs 2.5 crore, which can go down to Rs 60 lakh if carmakers opt for the Bharat NCAP. At the same time, Bharat NCAP will help Indians make a more informed decision while purchasing the cars on sale here as the crash-test ratings will be specifically for the India-spec models.

The need for improved safety arises primarily from the large number of road accident fatalities in India every year. It is also necessitated by the country’s long term roadmap for becoming a developed nation which includes higher average motoring speeds, and vehicles need to be safe in those circumstances as well. Furthermore, higher-performing models can also expand the export potential of India-made cars to global markets that have similarly stringent safety tests.

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What Tests Will Be Conducted?

You may have seen Global NCAP and other aforementioned authorities performing various crash tests of cars such as the frontal offset, side impact, and side pole impact tests. The Bharat NCAP will be performing the same tests as well.

The frontal offset test will be conducted at 64kmph, while the side impact and side pole impact tests will be performed at 50kmph and 29kmph, respectively. The test score is also going to factor in the structural integrity of the vehicle as well as the safety assist technologies on offer.

Many details of the tests and the expected performance standards have been outlined in the AIS-197 that will also dictate the final score a car receives from Bharat NCAP.

Rating System

All cars tested will be rated for both adult occupant protection (AOP) and child occupant protection (COP) based on the following parameters:

Only the cars scoring three stars or higher will be subjected to the pole side impact test. 

What Cars Will Be Tested?

Crash testing of cars will be done on a voluntary basis by the Bharat NCAP. Any vehicle that falls under the M1 category (capable of seating up to eight occupants in addition to the driver) will be eligible for these tests. Also, the selected vehicle must weigh less than 3.5 tonnes or 3500kg.

It will test the base variant of the popular models (defined as any car which has sold 30,000 units in the previous calendar year), having the basic level of safety equipment. That said, carmakers can request the Bharat NCAP authorities to conduct tests on the updated version if the selected model is soon to be replaced by a newer iteration.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) can also recommend any model falling under the Bharat NCAP’s protocols based on the car's market feedback and analysis. Further, the Government of India – if so desired – can also request the authority to select the particular variant for assessment in the interests of public safety.

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Bharat NCAP To Be In Action Soon

Indian crash-testing authority to swing into action on October 1, 2023.