Bharat NCAP to Start Crash Testing from December 15

News Highlights

• The aim of this new programme is to increase the standard of vehicle safety in the country.
• To obtain 5-star ratings from the agency, scoring at least 27 points in Adult Occupant Protection is mandatory for all cars.

Bharat NCAP is India’s new vehicle safety testing agency, and it is gearing up to begin testing cars on December 15, 2023. The organization has lined up the Global NCAP, and it will begin testing the first batch of cars this coming Friday. The Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) was officially started in August 2023 as India’s own vehicle assessment Programme.

After countries like South Korea, China, Japan, and the United States, India is the world’s fifth country to have its own indigenous car crash safety test network. It is specifically adapted for Indian standards that are based on the Global NCAP. Earlier, Global NCAP used to test vehicles manufactured in India. The aim of this new programme is to increase the standard of vehicle safety in the country.

The official website of Bharat NCAP has now gone live with its dummy test’s images. A few images shared on the websites provide hints as to which Indian car is likely to be tested first. It is anticipated that the agency will test the Kia Sonet and Tata Punch as its initial two vehicles. The agency has not shared any information about whether these cars were recently tested. More than 30 models are already lined up to be tested by Bharat NCAP.

Read more: Tata Harrier to be First Car to Get Rating Under Bharat NCAP

Hyundai Motor has announced that it will get its cars tested by Bharat NCAP. The company said that it is going to send three cars for crash tests. The Exter and upcoming Creta SUV are most probably the first two vehicles from Hyundai’s lineup to be tested by Global NCAP, while the Verna was the last one.

Bharat NCAP will be conducting various crash tests, including side barrier impact, Pedestrian Safety Compliance, side pole impact, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), front impact, and more. The assessment Programme is planning to integrate Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and rear crash protection, along with Lane Departure Warning at the last stage.

The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari earlier said that Bharat NCAP will provide a 5-star rating to vehicles that come equipped with six airbags. In India, currently, two airbags are mandatory in cars. The two airbags are specifically meant for the front-seat passenger and driver and are used in smaller automobiles, which have little space to pack more safety airbags for passengers sitting in the back seats.

To obtain 5-star ratings from the agency, scoring at least 27 points in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) is mandatory for all cars, while 41 points are required in Child Occupant Protection (COP). To get a minimum three-star ratings, all cars are required to come with ESC, seatbelt reminder for seats at the front, six airbags, and a pedestrian protection-compliant front design.