India To Start Vehicle Safety Rating System From Next Year. Here’s What Car Buyers Should Know

Nitin Gadkari noted that the rating is extremely crucial not only to ensure structural and passenger safety, but to also increase the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.

India To Start Vehicle Safety Rating System

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New Delhi: With an aim to enhance road safety in India, the Centre has proposed a car assessment programme called the Bharat new car assessment programme (NCAP) wherein automobiles in India shall be accorded 'Star Ratings' based on their performance in crash tests. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday tweeted about the new programme saying, "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". The minister said Bharat NCAP will prove to be a critical instrument in making the automobile industry Aarmanirbhar with the mission of making India the Number 1 automobile hub in the world.

What’s the new car assessment programme?

The Bharat new car assessment programme (NCAP) will be rolled out from April 1, 2023, reported Hindustan Times. 

The proposed assessment will allocate Star Ratings from 1 to 5.

According to Nitin Gadkari, 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.

The transport minister noted that Star Rating of Indian Cars based on Crash Tests is extremely crucial not only to ensure structural and passenger safety in cars, but to also increase the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.

It will be a voluntary programme under which the cost of new car for the purpose of assessment shall be borne by the respective vehicle manufacturer or importer.

Bharat NCAP will encourage manufacturers to incorporate higher safety levels in new car models.

Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) serves as a platform for cooperation among new car assessment programmes worldwide and promotes the universal adoption of the United Nation’s most important motor vehicle safety standards worldwide.

A total number of 3,66,138 road accidents have been reported by states and union territories in 2020, claiming 1,31,714 lives and causing injuries to 3,48,279 persons. Tamil Nadu witnessed the highest number of road accidents at 45,484 in 2020.

The Bharat NCAP's safety ratings are aimed at helping car buyers to take decision wisely before purchasing a car.

Going by the NCAP, the ratings of some of the cars for India are as below:

Kia Carens (3 stars)  Toyota Urban Cruiser (4 stars), Hyundai i20 (3 stars), Honda City 4th Gen ( 4 stars), Nissan Magnite (4 stars), Mahindra XUV700 (5 stars), Tata Punch (5 stars), Mahindra Thar (4 stars), Maruti Suzuki s-Presso (0 star), Hyundai Grand i10 Nios (2 stars), Maruti Suzuki Ertiga (3 stars) etc.

What the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proposed?

• It is applicable on Type Approved motor vehicles of category M1 [motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to driver’s seat] with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 Tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country, in accordance with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197, as amended from time to time.
• The standard is aligned with global benchmarks: it is beyond minimum regulatory requirements.
• Bharat NCAP rating will provide consumers an indication of the level of protection offered to occupants by evaluating the vehicle in the areas of (a) Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) (b) Child Occupant Protection (COP) and (c) Safety Assist Technologies (SAT).
• The vehicle shall be assigned a star rating from one to five stars based on scoring against various tests undertaken as per AIS 197.
• It introduces the concept of safety rating of passenger cars and empowers consumers to take informed decisions.
• It will promote export worthiness of the cars produced by OEMs in the country and increase the domestic customer’s confidence in these vehicles.
• Additionally the program will encourage manufacturers to provide advanced safety technologies to earn higher ratings.
• The testing of vehicles for this program will be carried out at Testing Agencies, with the necessary infrastructure, referred to in Rule 126 of CMVR 1989.