Bharat NCAP: Is Your Car Safe Enough To Earn A Star?

In an effort to enhance vehicle safety standards across India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) on August 22, 2023. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive safety ratings for cars based on rigorous crash testing, helping consumers make informed decisions when purchasing vehicles while promoting better safety in the Indian automotive market.

What is Bharat NCAP?

Bharat NCAP is India's first national car safety assessment program, developed to evaluate and rate the safety performance of passenger vehicles. Modeled after the Global NCAP initiative, the program focuses on two primary criteria:

• Structural Integrity: Ensuring the vehicle's structure can protect its occupants in the event of a crash.
• Occupant Safety: Evaluating the protection provided to both adult and child occupants during a crash.

The program assesses vehicles under the M1 category, which includes passenger cars weighing up to 3.5 tons with seating for up to eight. Bharat NCAP is designed to offer an easy-to-understand star rating system, similar to the Global NCAP, to help Indian consumers gauge the safety of vehicles in the market.

Is Bharat NCAP Mandatory?

No, Bharat NCAP is a voluntary program, which means car manufacturers are not required to get their vehicles tested. However, as consumer demand for safer vehicles increases, many manufacturers voluntarily seek Bharat NCAP ratings to showcase their cars' safety features. Importantly, vehicles with low safety ratings can still be legally sold in India, but those with higher ratings may have a competitive edge in the market.

How Does Bharat NCAP Work?

The process for obtaining a safety rating under Bharat NCAP follows a structured five-step procedure:

• Nomination: Car manufacturers nominate a model for testing.
• Vehicle Selection: A random selection is made from the vehicle's base variant.
• Crash Testing: The vehicle undergoes crash tests at authorized facilities, observed by representatives from both the manufacturer and Bharat NCAP.
• Result Sharing: After testing, the results are shared with the manufacturer for review.
• Rating Assignment: Once the results are confirmed, a star rating is awarded, and a certificate is issued.

Bharat NCAP's testing is supported by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), while MoRTH oversees the funding and protocols for the initiative.

Key Differences Between Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP

While Bharat NCAP aligns with Global NCAP's testing standards, it has been specifically tailored to Indian driving conditions. Both programs assess the safety of adult and child occupants, as well as key safety assist features such as electronic stability control and airbags. However, Bharat NCAP also includes tests for CNG and electric vehicles (EVs), with plans to incorporate evolving safety technologies.

Some of the differences between the two systems include:

• Safety Areas: Bharat NCAP places more emphasis on local concerns such as rear-seat safety and vehicle protection during specific Indian road conditions.
• Test Scenarios: Like Global NCAP, Bharat NCAP conducts frontal impact tests at 64 kph, but it also considers unique Indian accident scenarios, such as collisions with trucks.

The Shortcomings of Bharat NCAP

While Bharat NCAP significantly improves vehicle safety standards in India, it does have some limitations:

• Test Speed Limitations: The crash tests are conducted at a specific speed (64 kph for frontal impacts), and vehicles may perform differently at higher speeds. Crash energy increases exponentially with speed, meaning that the vehicle's performance in real-world crashes at higher speeds may vary.
• Crash Type Limitations: Bharat NCAP evaluates specific crash scenarios, like frontal and side impacts, but does not account for all types of accidents. For example, rollovers, narrow overlap crashes, or truck underrides are not covered in the current testing protocols.
• Vehicle Comparisons: It's essential to compare a vehicle's safety performance with others in its segment. For instance, a 5-star rated small hatchback may not necessarily be safer than a 2-star rated SUV. However, vehicles with more airbags generally offer better protection.
• Local Driving Conditions: Some experts, including car manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, argue that testing protocols should be customized to reflect India's unique driving conditions, where accidents often involve trucks and rollovers rather than car-to-car collisions, which are more common in Western countries.

Bharat NCAP Ratings: Current Scenario

Since its inception, Bharat NCAP has attracted attention, with several Indian manufacturers participating. Some notable vehicles that have received five-star ratings include:

Tata Motors: Six of its vehicles, including models like the Tata Nexon and Altroz, have received top safety ratings for both adult and child occupants.
Mahindra: The Mahindra XUV400, XUV3XO, and Thar Roxx are among the vehicles that have earned five-star ratings for their adult and child occupant safety.
Citroen: The recently launched Citroen Basalt has also achieved a 5-star safety rating.

However, some popular brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, and Kia have yet to undergo testing under Bharat NCAP, despite some of their vehicles receiving decent ratings from Global NCAP.

Conclusion

Bharat NCAP represents a significant step forward in improving car safety standards in India. While the program has its limitations, such as the test speeds and accident types it covers, it still provides crucial insights into a vehicle's crashworthiness, helping Indian consumers make safer choices when purchasing cars.

As the program evolves and more manufacturers participate, Bharat NCAP will likely continue to raise the bar for vehicle safety in India, driving improvements across the automotive industry.