As Global NCAP made has made crash test standards more stringent and India prepares for stricter norms, RC Bhargava, the Chairman of Maruti Suzuki has questioned the credibility of these tests. Following the poor crash test scores secured by the Swift, Ignis, and the S-Presso, the Chairman questioned the need for more safety features in cars.
RC Bhargava said that the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) is backed by component manufacturers and these agencies do not understand safety as well as the government. He emphasised that NCAP is not looking into the cause of accidents, which is the best way to reduce fatalities.
India accounts for the highest when it comes to road accidents and in 2020, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India recorded 1.3 lakh road fatalities, while in 2001, 80,888 fatalities were recorded — a number that has only increased. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, over 1.5 lakh people were killed in road accidents in India in 2021 while over 4 lakh road accidents were reported last year.
The Maruti Suzuki Chairman said, “I always say with complete confidence that putting an NCAP standard into cars in India will have no significant impact on the number of accidents at all. Prevention is far better than cure.” He pointed out that accidents occur when components fail such as tyres, brakes, suspension, etc, and these need to be looked at from a safety angle.
He also emphasised driving behaviour, which is another root cause of accidents. The driving license issuing system in India needs to be upgraded, and drivers need to be educated, as this process is completely different abroad. “There’s a very rigorous programme of training and testing before a person is certified to get a licence. There’s no such thing in India. Driver error is a major cause of accidents in India.” he said.
