On August 23, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP), India’s pioneering car crash testing initiative. This landmark move places India in the company of several other nations that have implemented similar regulations, marking a significant step towards ensuring automotive safety and standardisation.
Key Features Of Bharat NCAP Testing
Crash Test
- A crash test is a carefully orchestrated collision involving a vehicle, conducted within a controlled environment, to evaluate and assess its safety parameters.
- The norms established safety standards for motor vehicles that are designed to seat up to eight people and have a gross weight of less than 3.5 tonnes. These standards apply to vehicles that are manufactured or sold in the country.
- Starting from October 1st this year, car manufacturers have the option to voluntarily provide vehicles that adhere to BNCAP norms and have them tested according to the Automotive Standard (AIS) 197.
Primary Goal Of The Bharat NCAP
The main objective of the Bharat NCAP is to elevate road safety by assigning star ratings to cars, which reflect their performance in rigorous safety tests. These comprehensive evaluations encompass both adult occupant (AOP) and child occupant (COP) safety, enabling consumers to easily compare the safety standards of various car models prior to making a purchase decision.
Types Of Testing To Be Conducted Under Bharat NCAP
The tests will evaluate vehicle safety by conducting front impact, side impact, and side impact pole tests. Although electric vehicles (EVs) are currently not included in the protocol, the government intends to incorporate the EV segment in the near future. Importantly, numerous manufacturers have already offered approximately 15-20 models for evaluation under the Bharat NCAP programme.
Process Of Selecting Cars For Crash Tests
- Manufacturers and importers must submit an application (Form 70-A) to the government’s designated agency. Once Form 70-A is submitted, a random selection of cars will undergo comprehensive crash tests.
- These tests will include representatives from both the manufacturer and the Bharat NCAP team, ensuring a thorough evaluation of safety standards.
- The manufacturer will receive the test results, which will then be subject to approval by the Bharat NCAP Standing Committee. After publicly disclosing the crash test results, the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) will proceed with the publication and certification process.
Tests To Align With International NCAP
- The Bharat NCAP test protocol will now align with international NCAP rating agencies. This comprehensive assessment includes front impact, side impact, and pole impact tests, all conducted at a speed of 64 km/hour.
- The rating system will consider safety elements such as the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and pedestrian protection measures for all vehicles, in addition to crash testing.
- Extra points will be awarded for features like front seat belt reminders and others.
Bharat NCAP vs Global NCAP: Similarities And Differences
Private vs Public
- The Global NCAP, global standard for all NCAPs, operates as a private enterprise. It receives funding from various charitable organisations and automotive companies.
- On the other hand, the Bharat NCAP is a government-run agency under the administration of the Indian government.
Safety Rating Categories
- In crash tests conducted by Global NCAP, a vehicle must achieve a minimum total of 34 points to secure a five-star safety rating for adult occupant protection. This includes 16 points for the front crash test, 16 for side impact, and an additional two points for seatbelt reminder systems.
- However, the criteria under Bharat NCAP differ substantially. For a vehicle to earn a five-star rating in the Bharat NCAP, it must score at least 27 points for adult occupant protection and a further 41 points for child occupant protection.
- Thus, a vehicle may receive a five-star rating in Bharat NCAP’s assessments but may not achieve the same rating under Global NCAP’s unique testing parameters.
Types Of Crash Testing
- Bharat NCAP crash testing methods are similar to those of the Global NCAP. They use three types of tests: the offset deformable barrier frontal impact test, the side impact test, and the pole side test. These tests are used to check how well a vehicle can withstand a crash.
- The Bharat NCAP may also require cars to have certain safety features. These could include six airbags, seatbelts for all passengers, electronic stability control (ESC), and enhanced emergency brakes.
Testing Speed
- In the Global NCAP crash assessments, they conduct a frontal offset examination at a velocity of 102 kmph, with the vehicle directed towards a malleable object.
- This test arranges the vehicle and the deformable barrier to have a 40% overlap, mimicking a collision between two cars at 80 kmph. There are additional evaluations for side impacts as well.
- For the Bharat NCAP, the frontal collision test is carried out at a pace of 64 kmph, while the side and pole side impact evaluations are performed at speeds of 50 kmph and 29 kmph, respectively.
- Thus, the speeds used in the Bharat NCAP protocol for different categories of impact assessment are lower than those in the Global NCAP.
Significance
- Bharat NCAP is an important initiative for India, helping to tackle the urgent issue of road safety.
- Its role is to evaluate and improve the safety standards of vehicles in India.
- Travel and transport are essential to modern life. Everyone uses roads in some way.
- Yet, the current transport system, while reducing distances, has increased the risk of accidents.
- Each year, millions of people are seriously injured in road accidents, and hundreds of thousands lose their lives.
- In India, around 80,000 people die in road accidents each year.
- This accounts for 13% of the world’s total fatalities from road accidents.
- The driver’s role is crucial in many accidents.
- Accidents often happen due to a driver’s carelessness or their lack of awareness about road safety.
National Road Safety Policy
The National Road Safety Policy is a governmental initiative aimed at improving road safety activities in India. Here’s a snapshot of its formation and key objectives:
- A Committee was established by the Government in 2005, led by Shri S. Sundar, a Former Secretary of MoST, to discuss and propose a separate body for road safety and traffic management.
- The Committee was later asked to prepare a draft for the National Road Safety Policy.
- The Committee submitted the draft report in February 2007, which included the proposed Road Safety Policy.
- Following the Sunder Committee’s recommendations, the Union Cabinet approved the National Road Safety Policy on March 15, 2010.
- The Policy lays out various initiatives that the government at all levels will undertake to enhance road safety in the country.