India To Get Its Own Crash Test Ratings Soon; Courtesy Bharat NCAP

The safety regulations and ratings will be based on the lines of the European and Global NCAP

• Bharat NCAP safety ratings to be introduced for cars sold in India. 

• Mandatory features for higher rating to include six airbags, ESC, advanced emergency braking, and three-point seat belt for all front facing seats. 

• Vehicle integrity will also be improved for passenger and pedestrian safety. 

• Voluntary for all the manufacturers to send their cars for crash tests. 

• No confirmed timeline of introduction. 

Press conference on ‘Automobile Safety Ecosystem in India’ https://t.co/i8HDJwHr9M

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) February 10, 2022

In a recent press conference on Automobile Safety Ecosystem, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, has confirmed the introduction of stricter safety regulations for cars sold in India. Not only that, but the government plans to introduce its own “star rating”. 

There's no confirmed timeline of introduction, but the government will give the ratings based on a 12-point initiative. Some of the mandatory features (for higher rating) will include six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), three-point seat belt for all front facing passengers, advanced emergency braking system (AEBS), and driver drowsiness detection. For reference, six airbags will include two curtain and front side airbags in cars which can seat up to eight people. 

The government is also looking at making ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) as standard. The minister has mentioned features such as lane departure warning, driver drowsiness alert, and forward collision warning in this conference. The government is planning to work with the manufacturers to see if it's possible. 

The majority of the mass-market cars on sale offer dual front airbags as standard. In fact, there are still a lot of sub-15 lakh cars that offer dual airbags even on their top-end variants. We recently did a story on why the six airbags feature won’t create a huge impact on car safety. Do check it out for a detailed insight. 

For reference, the Latin NCAP and Euro NCAP crash tests are stricter than the global NCAP. For a better rating in the Latin NCAP tests, a car needs to have ESC, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection, and speed assistance systems. While the global NCAP results include only frontal crash tests, the Latin and Euro NCAP include whiplash, side impact, and rescue and extrication tests. 

The focus will also be on improving the vehicle integrity which should lifeguard the passengers and pedestrians’ lives and other road users. Moreover, the government wants to introduce more standard active and passive safety features. 

Also Read: All The Indian Cars Crash Tested By Global NCAP In 2021

The government says that all the manufacturers will voluntarily have to send their cars for Bharat NCAP crash tests. An independent agency will be created for giving the ratings. This will increase consumer awareness on safety and will help people in making an informed decision. 

Currently, the mandatory safety features include rear parking sensors, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, front seat belt reminder, and speed alert system. Making the cars safer will definitely increase the prices but will also reduce the number of accidents and accident-related fatalities.