MoRTH has approved the draft notification for the introduction of Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) in India. The program will roll out from 1st April 2023. The program was first announced back in 2016.
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highway, Nitin Gadkari posted on Twitter that the Bharat NCAP program will serve as a consumer-centric platform. It will allow customers to choose a safer car from their safety ratings. Also, it will promote healthy competition among Indian manufacturers. According to Nitin Gadkari, Bharat NCAP will also prove critical in making the Indian automobile industry ‘Aatmanirbhar’ (self-sufficient) and the top automobile hub in the world.
Furthermore, it is a significant development for India. Our country looks to reduce the number of road accidents and deaths by 50 per cent by the end of 2030. India currently has one of the worst accident records in the world. The current data suggests that more than 1,20,000 lost their lives due to road-related accidents in 2020.
According to Nitin Gadkari, the star rating of Indian cars based on crash tests is extremely crucial. It is crucial for the passengers’ safety and the vehicles’ export worthiness. He further emphasised that B-NCAP’s testing protocols will align with the global crash test protocols factoring in the existing Indian regulations. He also said it will allow Indian manufacturers to test their vehicles at our own in-house testing facilities.
As we mentioned, the program will roll out on 1st April 2022. B-NCAP will test passenger vehicles with up to 8 seats weighing under 3.5 tonnes. According to their performance, Bharat NCAP will accord star ratings. These ratings will also factor in existing Indian regulations and driving conditions. Unlike other NCAP formats, which award separate star ratings for adult and child protection, Bharat NCAP will likely get a unified star rating for both.
Additionally, Bharat NCAP will not limit to passive safety tests and testing ICE vehicles. It will also test and rate CNG and electric vehicles for their crash performance.
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