Bharat NCAP Crash Test Rating Programme To Launch On August 22

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, will launch the much-awaited Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) on August 22, 2023. It’s been a long time coming and we’ll finally get to see cars get star ratings based on their crash worthiness and safety features on offer. Bharat NCAP ratings will be applicable to motor vehicles with weight of up to 3500 kilograms.

Under this programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars to be tested as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197. Based on the performance of the car in the tests, the vehicle will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants (AOP) and Child Occupant (COP) safety. This will help customers make an informed choice by referring to star ratings to compare the safety standards of different vehicles and decide on purchasing it. While all of this is good news, we still do not know the standards set for this test and hopefully all will be revealed on August 22.

While the test for the time being is voluntary, we could be looking at a scenario, when these are mandated and all the cars sold in the country receive a safety rating. Indian-made cars have performed well in recent times in crash tests conducted by the global safety watchdog Global NCAP. While cars like the Mahindra XUV700, VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Tata Punch have received a 5-star safety rating, there are still cars on sale in the market with a 1-star or 2-star rating. So, there is a need for such a test to be mandated for sure. We’ll know more about Bharat NCAP on August 22.