Central Idea

India is set to launch its own Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) for four-wheelers starting from 1 October, with the aim of making cars safer and improving consumer awareness.

What is Bharat NCAP?

Definition: BNCAP is a safety assessment program for passenger vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes and capable of seating up to eight people.
Global Alignment: It brings India in line with other regions around the world, including the US, Europe, Japan, Australia, and Latin America, which have their own NCAPs.
Goal: The program aims to promote transparency, create consumer awareness, and assist buyers in making informed decisions based on safety credentials.

Applicability: It will apply to type-approved motor vehicles of category M1 with a gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 tonnes, manufactured or imported in India.
Category M1: Category M1 motor vehicles are designed for the carriage of passengers, comprising eight seats, in addition to the driver’s seat.
Voluntary Nature: Bharat NCAP will be voluntary for car manufacturers. Cars will only be tested upon the request of the makers.

Types of Tests: The testing will include 3 types of crash tests: frontal, side, and pole-side impact tests.
Speed and Scoring: Frontal tests will be conducted at 64 kmph, while side and pole-side tests will be conducted at 50 kmph and 29 kmph, respectively. Scoring will be based on adult safety for front passengers and child safety at the rear.
Star Ratings: A car must score at least 27 out of 32 points for adult safety to achieve a 5-star rating, while a minimum score of 41 out of 49 points will earn a 5-star rating for child safety. Additional points will be awarded for restraint systems like ISOFIX anchorages.

Consumer Awareness: BNCAP ratings will provide consumers with an indication of the level of protection offered to occupants, covering areas such as adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, and safety assist technologies.
Promoting Safer Cars: It will serve as a consumer-centric platform, allowing customers to choose safer cars based on their Star Ratings, and encouraging manufacturers to produce safer vehicles.
Enhanced Safety and Export Potential: Bharat NCAP aims to ensure structural and passenger safety in cars while increasing the exportworthiness of Indian automobiles.
Aatmanirbhar Initiative: It aligns with the goal of making the Indian automobile industry self-reliant.

Road Crash Burden: Despite having only 1% of the world’s vehicles, India accounts for 11% of global road crash fatalities.
Existing Testing Standards: While India’s Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) mandate safety and performance assessments, including basic conformity crash tests, they do not provide crash test ratings. This has led to international automakers selling vehicles in India with lower safety ratings to reduce costs.
Changing Purchase Criteria: Safety is increasingly becoming a significant factor influencing car purchases in India.

Progress in Crash Testing: Global NCAP has been crash-testing Indian cars since 2014, with notable progress in recent years.
Star Ratings Achieved: Out of the 62 crash tests conducted so far, older cars scored poorly, with 20 cars receiving 0 stars. However, eight cars, all less than three years old, achieved 5-star ratings for adult safety.
Easier and Cost-Effective Testing: With testing centers in Pune, Manesar, and Indore now equipped to conduct these tests, it will become easier and more cost-effective for manufacturers to have their cars tested in India.
Leveraging Star Ratings: The implementation of Bharat NCAP is expected to encourage more car manufacturers to seek star ratings for their vehicles, leveraging these ratings to enhance their market position.

Enhancing Safety Standards: Bharat NCAP aims to encourage more automakers to voluntarily undergo safety assessments and build vehicles that meet global standards.
Congruence with Global NCAP: The government aims to align Bharat NCAP with Global NCAP standards, resembling the global gold standard.
Boosting Export Potential: The implementation of Bharat NCAP is expected to enhance the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.