Bharat NCAP: All you need to know about India’s new safety rating programme

The launch of Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) marked a new chapter in the automotive industry. The Government of India has been pushing for safer cars in the country for the past few years and the implementation of Bharat NCAP could prove to be a significant step in this direction.

At the launch of this event, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Nitin Gadkari, underlined the importance of the new safety programme. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Bharat NCAPcrash test.

Bharat NCAP: Date of implementation, cost

The new safety program is slated to commence from 1 October 2023. Authorities have received applications for 30 car models to be tested by Bharat NCAP for safety rating. The programme is purely voluntary at this point of time. Vehicles tested under this programme, will carry a Bharat NCAP logo as well as a sticker, showcasing its rating.

Bharat NCAP will be the 11th overall NCAP agency for crash test safety ratings to come into effect. Moreover, India became the fifth country globally to introduce its own car crash test rating system. Until now, sending a car for crash tests abroad meant an OEM had to spend Rs 2.5 crore at an average. With the launch of Bharat NCAP this cost will reduce to around Rs 60 lakh.

Bharat NCAP: Eligibility criterias

Models that have registered cumulative sales volume of 30,000 units since launch, will be eligible for crash testing at Bharat NCAP and receive a safety rating. A vehicle in the M1 category that can carry up to eight people including the driver and weighs less than 3.5 tonnes, is eligible for taking part in this crash test. 

The cars will be rated on a scale of one to five stars. In terms of powertrain, CNG and electric vehicles will also be included apart from internal combustion engine (ICE) models. The test program is based on the AIS-197 standards.

Bharat NCAP: Process of selection

The process of selection starts with the OEM nominating a vehicle model for testing, after which Bharat NCAP representatives will visit the manufacturing facility or a dealer outlet to select a base variant of the particular model randomly. NCAP representatives will then send the selected test unit to the nearest testing centre in coordination with the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT).

After completion of the entire testing process, results of the crash tests will be published on Bharat NCAP’s official website and a certificate will be issued by the CIRT.

Bharat NCAP: Parameters of test

The Bharat NCAP will crash-test cars as per the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197. While the process is voluntary, cars recommended by the MoRTH based on market feedback and analysis can also be sent to the Bharat NCAP for crash tests. 

A rating from one star to five stars will be awarded to a vehicle after an evaluation of three parameters– adult occupant protection (AOP), child occupant protection (COP), and safety assist technologies present in the car. The first two parameters will be calculated with the help of three different kinds of tests, including a frontal offset test where a vehicle is driven at 64 kmph and with 40% overlap into a deformable barrier which represents an oncoming vehicle. 

This replicates a crash between two cars of the same weight. The other tests are side impact test at 50 kmph and pole-side impact test (where a car is crashed into a rigid pole sideways) at 29 kmph. For a car to be rated a minimum 3-star safety rating, it needs to have electronic stability control, pass the side pole test, and include seat belt reminders for the front row.

A vehicle can earn maximum of 32 points for AOP and 49 points for COP. The minimum scores for each star are mentioned below: