Bharat NCAP – India is working on its own car safety assessment program, expected to be based on Global NCAP

• India is reportedly gearing up to launch Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP).
• A draft notification is expected to be released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) soon.
• Bharat NCAP will be based on Global NCAP and come with India-specific modifications.

India is all set to get its first car safety body, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP). The Bharat NCAP has been in the works for some time now and is expected to be announced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in the coming months.

According to a report by Economic Times, a draft notification by the MoRTH is expected to be announced within months. “If they want, they can do it in one month”, a source familiar with the matter told ET.

Bharat NCAP is expected to be led by Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), with the guidance of the MoRTH. CIRT is a central government undertaking based in Pune, Maharashtra.

Bharat NCAP is expected to follow the protocols set by Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) for testing cars. Global NCAP is a UK based charity that has brought car safety to the limelight in India, thanks to its regular reports, including the very first report in 2014.

The 2014 report was an eye-opener as all the five cars tested received zero-star ratings.

“Our protocols are public. Anyone can take them. In fact, we made them public so that manufacturers can take them and develop their cars accordingly”, said Alejandro Furas, secretary general, Global NCAP.

Bharat NCAP to come with India-specific modifications

While the main tests such as front-offset crash test will be similar to Global NCAP, the Bharat NCAP will also include India-specific tests such as side collision.

Bharat NCAP is expected to evaluate cars based on things like six airbags, three-point seat belts and electronic stability control, which is expected to be made mandatory in cars from 2023. It is possible that the rating will also consider features like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which includes driver drowsiness detection, Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS), forward collision warning and more.

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