Bharat New Car Assessment Programme

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Bharat NCAP?
• What is Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP)?

 

Why in news?

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has rolled out an indigenous star-rating system for crash testing cars.
• Under the new system, vehicles will be assigned between one to five stars indicating their safety in a collision.
• Called the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), the rating system will be voluntary and will come into effect from October 1, 2023.

 

What is Bharat NCAP?

• About
  • It is a testing protocol, wherein automobiles in India shall be accorded Star Ratings based upon their performance in crash tests.
  • Under the Bharat NCAP, cars voluntarily nominated by automobile manufacturers will be crash tested as per protocols laid down in the soon-to-be-published Automotive Industry Standard 197.
    • The testing protocols adopted by the Bharat NCAP are modelled on the Global NCAP.
  • While India has mandatory crash test norms for cars, the Bharat NCAP rating will be of superior standard and will be aligned with global crash-test protocols.
  • Unlike in other countries where the NCAP are carried out by non-government entities, there will be a Bharat NCAP Authority in India.
  • The authority will also host the safety ratings of all new car models on a website for public knowledge.

• Objective
  • To help consumers make an informed decision before purchasing a car, thereby spurring demand for safer cars.
• Applicability
  • The programme is applicable to passenger vehicles with not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat with gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3,500 kgs.
  • Only the base model of a particular variant will be tested.
• Assignment of rating
  • Cars will be assigned a rating between one star to five stars after being evaluated on three parameters:
    • adult occupant protection,
    • child occupant protection, and
    • safety assist technologies present in the car.
  • The first two parameters will be calculated with the help of three different kinds of tests:
    • A frontal offset test where a vehicle is driven at 64 kmph and with 40% overlap into a deformable barrier which represents the oncoming vehicle,
      • This replicates a crash between two cars of the same weight.
    • The side impact test at 50 kmph, and
    • The pole-side impact test (where a car is crashed into a rigid pole sideways) at 29 kmph.
• Voluntary in nature
  • Bharat NCAP is a voluntary programme under which the cost of a new car for the purpose of assessment shall be borne by the respective vehicle manufacturer or importer.
  • However, in certain cases cars may be subjected to a crash test such as:
    • for a base model of a popular variant (minimum clocked sale of 30,000 units), or
    • when the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recommends a model for testing based on market feedback or
    • in the interest of public safety.
• Need of Bharat NCAP
  • India sees nearly 1.5 lakh road fatalities in a year, accounting for 10% of deaths due to road crashes globally with only 1% of the world’s vehicles.
  • According to a World Bank study, road crashes are estimated to cost the Indian economy between 5 to 7% of GDP a year.
• What is the way forward?
  • India will need to develop its crash testing capabilities and knowledge expertise for the Bharat NCAP programme to be implemented meaningfully.
    • E.g., A software system wired to the dummies placed inside cars to assess the nature and extent of injuries to analyse scores.
  • Over the years, India will also have to align Bharat NCAP with global standards by expanding testing parameters.
    • E.g., the U.S. NCAP also includes a roll-over test which tests whether a vehicle is vulnerable to tipping up on the road in a severe manoeuvre.
    • Japan’s NCAP covers electric shock protection performance after a collision, performance of neck injury protection in a rear end collision, passenger seat belt reminder evaluation, etc.

 

Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP):

• It is a major project of the Towards Zero Foundation which is a United Kingdom registered charity.
• It serves as a platform for cooperation among new car assessment programmes worldwide and promotes the universal adoption of the United Nations (UN) most important motor vehicle safety standards worldwide.
• Global NCAP has adopted a Road Map for Safer Vehicles 2020 which provides a recommended timetable for UN Member States to apply the most important UN vehicle safety regulations.

 

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Q1) What are the objectives of crash tests for automobiles? 

The primary objectives of crash tests for automobiles are to assess and enhance vehicle safety, protect occupants and pedestrians, and reduce the severity of injuries in the event of a collision. These tests serve as crucial tools for automakers, regulators, and consumers alike. Crash tests help determine how a vehicle performs in different crash scenarios, including frontal, side, and rear impacts, as well as rollovers. 

 

Q2) Is Bharat NCAP mandatory?

Though Bharat NCAP is voluntary, in certain cases cars maybe subjected to a crash test such as for a base model of a popular variant (minimum clocked sale of 30,000 units), or when the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recommends a model for testing based on market feedback or in the interest of public safety.

 

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Source: Explained | What is the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme? | PIB | Global NCAP | The Print | India Today