Bharat NCAP to begin crash testing for over three dozen cars
India is set to launch its first car-safety rating program, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP). The initiative which came into effect on 1st October is modelled after the Global NCAP but tailored to meet the unique safety standards of the Indian market. Crash tests for more than three dozen cars are scheduled to begin on 15th December under this program.
The program is designed to evaluate and rate vehicles based on three key features: adult occupant protection (AOP), child occupant protection (COP) and safety assist technologies (SAT). While these safety ratings are not mandatory, they are expected to guide consumers towards safer vehicle choices and incentivise car manufacturers to prioritise safety.
Tata Motors is taking the lead as the first company to apply for the Bharat NCAP rating. Their newly launched models, the Harrier and Safari facelifts, will be among the first vehicles to undergo crash testing. In addition to Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai will each send three models for testing, while Mahindra is set to submit four of their models.
Bharat NCAP will be executed by designated agencies assigned by the Indian government, which will assign star ratings to vehicles on a scale from zero to five, based on their performance in the crash tests.
European car manufacturers such as Renault, Skoda, Volkswagen and Stellantis Group have not rushed to get their cars safety-rated under Bharat NCAP just yet. Some companies are yet to decide which models they will submit for safety rating, while others argue that their vehicles already possess safety ratings from Global NCAP and do not immediately require Bharat NCAP ratings.
The responsibility of conducting the crash tests has been entrusted to government testing agencies, including the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and Global Automotive Research (GAR), among others. These agencies will ensure that the tests are carried out comprehensively and accurately.
Comment down the list of cars that you want to see being crash tested in the new Bharat NCAP facility.