New Bharat NCAP Safety Norms Will Ape Global Standards

• Cars will be tested for adult, child safety and safety assist technologies. 

• A star rating from one to five stars will be awarded to each car. 

• The testing protocol is aligned with global crash testing standards. 

India will soon get its own car safety testing regime, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP). The government has announced that it’ll amend the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR 1989) to include provisions for BNCAP. The testing protocols, defined under Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) 197, will come into effect from April 1 2023. 

How will Bharat NCAP rate car safety?

BNCAP will only test M1 category vehicles – passenger cars, MPVs and SUVs with a seating capacity of less than nine passengers. The vehicles will be rated out of 5 stars in three broad categories: 

Adult Occupant Protection (AOP): These are expected to include results from front and side impact tests, among other evaluations. 

Child Occupant Protection (COP): Crash tests evaluate the impact on child-sized dummies secured in child seats in the rear. 

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Safety Assist Technologies (SAT): Under this category, the cars will be awarded a rating based on whether they offer safety systems such as ESC, side impact protection and seat belt reminders. 

Which crash tests will be performed under Bharat NCAP protocol?

Bharat NCAP’s testing protocol is similar to that of Global NCAP. It includes the following tests: 

Offset Deformable Barrier Front Impact Test: This test simulates a crash with a stationary, deformable barrier (such as a parked car in real life) conducted at a target speed of 64kmph. 

Side Impact Test: Simulates a sideways impact from a moving vehicle. 

Pole Impact Test: Tests the structural integrity of a car’s frame when it crashes sideways into a pole. 

Pedestrian safety: Includes leg and head impact tests to ensure that the front of a car is soft enough to prevent grievous injury to a pedestrian in case of a low speed impact. 

Also read: 

• Bharat NCAP Approved To Begin Crash Testing Cars In India

• Kia Carens Scores Three Stars In Global NCAP Crash Test, Six Airbags Don't Aid Score As Body Rated Unstable

• Mahindra XUV700 Gets Safer Choice Award From Global NCAP

The Bharat NCAP safety norms also lay out plans to slowly improve the standard safety kit you get in cars. The AIS 100 and 197 standards will continuously be amended to include stricter protocols and more standard safety equipment.