Bharat NCAP: Here’s how India’s first car safety testing programme will work

Bharat NCAP is basically a safety rating system. It’s been created in line with the Global NCAP under its Safer Cars for India initiative and follows similar protocols and criteria for assessing largely two aspects:

1 The structural integrity of the vehicle.

2 Adult and child occupant protection levels for automobiles that fall under the M1 category

The M1 category refers to passenger vehicles whose gross weight is less than 3.5 tonnes and have seating for no more than eight individuals.

Is it mandatory?

No, it’s not. Bharat NCAP is strictly voluntary and has been introduced not to determine whether a vehicle can be sold or not, but more like a certification that informs the customer about the safety credentials of the car they want to buy. It exists purely to allow the consumer to make a more informed car purchasing decision. So a zero- or one-star rating does not legally make a vehicle unfit for sale.

The reason why this has been brought in is that modern Indian consumers are now more quality-conscious than cost-conscious. This, of course, bodes well for the overall safety standard of mass-market automobiles in India too.

Essentially, the NCAP will slowly spur manufacturers to volunteer for the safety assessment and use the results to broadcast its high safety standards to all consumers as part of their advertisements and feature projections.

Also read: Bharat NCAP to help elevate vehicle safety standards in India: Automakers

How does it work?

There’s a five-step programme for the enrolment of a vehicle into the NCAP by a manufacturer.

1 First, they nominate a vehicle model to be tested for safety star ratings.

2 Then, a Bharat NCAP representative visits the manufacturing facility or dealer outlet to select the base variant of the model through random sampling.

3 The vehicle is then crash-tested at a designated testing centre with representatives from both the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Bharat NCAP in attendance.

4 The test results are then shared with the manufacturer.

5 Following approval from Bharat NCAP, a star rating is assigned and a certificate is issued

Automotive OEMs will liaise with the CIRT, although the testing protocols and funding structure will be determined by the MoRTH.

How does Bharat NCAP differ from Global NCAP?

Given that the programme intends to align Indian crash safety standards with international ones, the parameters of Bharat NCAP are very similar to those of Global NCAP.

Safety is assessed on three primary pillars: adult occupant safety, child occupant safety, and the fitment of safety assist technology like electronic stability, anti-lock braking systems, seat belt reminders, airbags, etc.

Each model will be subject to frontal and side impact tests, with the former conducted at a speed of 64 kph – this is the same as for the Global NCAP.
Should a car acquire a safety rating of 3 stars or more, it will be subject to a further pole-side impact test.

Each category carries a maximum and minimum number of points, based on which a star rating is assigned. And for any model to carry a 3-star rating, it must be equipped with front seat belt reminders and electronic stability control.

The new NCAP programme will also test CNG and electric vehicles (EVs). The central government has stated its intent to keep updating the parameters with the inclusion of new technologies, including those for EV risk mitigation. The programme will come into effect on October 1.