India Could Get Its Own NCAP-like Safety Rating System Soon

• Cars to be evaluated for occupant, pedestrian and other road users’ safety. 

• 12-point plan to add compulsory safety features in new cars includes ESC. 

• Six airbags and a three-point middle seat belt could become mandatory for all new cars. 

• Autonomous braking (AEB) and other active safety features also in the plans. 

Reports suggest that Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport & Highways, has a comprehensive plan to overhaul car safety standards and testing in India. He has hinted at a safety rating standard for cars in the works, alongside a list of new mandates for carmakers. Soon, safety features that are currently reserved for top-spec trims of relatively expensive models could soon become standard on all new cars. 

Three-point middle seat belt in the Honda City 

A draft notification to make six airbags compulsory for new cars is already out, and another notification is expected for three-point belts soon. Although front three-point seatbelts have been standard equipment for decades, the new law will also cover the rear seat including the middle seatbelt that’s usually a lap belt in most cars. 

As for the airbags, many affordable models lack the feature even in top-spec cars. Dual airbags are standard, but they can only protect the front passengers. The new mandate is expected to add curtain and front side airbags to the list of standard features. Curtain airbags can help protect passengers in a side impact, including rear seat occupants. 

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Driver fatigue warning in the Mahindra XUV700

Some compulsory active safety features also seem to be in the plans. Reportedly, there’s a 12-point list of mandatory provisions that includes stability control, driver fatigue monitoring and autonomous emergency braking (AEB). Stability control, also known as ESC, is a brake-based system that works with the ABS to prevent sudden loss of control in a car.  

Also read: 

• Six Airbags Become Mandatory For All New Cars Starting October 

• Kia Carens Targeting Minimum 4 Stars In Global NCAP Crash Test

Autonomous braking uses sensors placed at the front of the car to “see” several feet ahead of the car. If the system detects that you’ve failed to avoid the hazard (by braking or turning the wheel), and are about to have a head-on collision, it can immediately slam on the brakes in an attempt to prevent the accident. It’s likely that the upcoming safety tests would also cover the AEB system’s efficacy for different cars. 

We expect to see these new safety features become mandatory in the near future, although it’s too early to tell when the safety testing could begin. For now, select India-spec models have been tested by the Global new car assessment programs (NCAP). Watch this space for further announcements from the government for car safety in India.