Bharat NCAP May Initiate Crash Tests From October 1st | V3Cars

06 July 2023
By Mahesh Yadav
0

The much-awaited Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) crash test regulations are set to be activated from October 1, 2023, as indicated by Autocar Professional. India plans to enforce car safety star ratings starting October 1, Mahmood Ahmed, the Additional Secretary for the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), informed Autocar Professional that the ministry has settled on a draft notification. The process of launching the norms began on July 1, 2023.

"We have set the stage for the implementation of Bharat NCAP norms by finalising the draft notification, which will be put up for mandatory review on July 1st for 30 days," says Ahmed. He went on to say that, through a consultation period, the government will ask for feedback from OEMs and make any small adjustments if necessary. This process concludes on August 31, 2023, and aids in the commencement of the norms.

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When questioned about potential hurdles, Ahmed reassured, "The government is willing to push back the start date past October 1 to address challenges and grant additional time for enforcement."

Previously, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari expressed that Bharat NCAP would provide an opportunity for Indian manufacturers to test their vehicles domestically and enhance their potential for export. The implementation of Bharat NCAP ratings will necessitate built-in safety features for OEMs and allow consumers to opt for safer vehicles.

Bharat NCAP has outlined parameters, taking into account multiple factors such as the vehicle's pedestrian-friendly design, structural safety, availability of active and passive safety technologies and the protection of adults and children in the vehicle.

Bharat NCAP testing protocols have been harmonised with international crash-test procedures, introducing star ratings from 1 to 5 on their website. Even though participation is voluntary for OEMs, they are motivated to provide samples for testing. The testing agency is also authorised to purchase vehicles from the showrooms.

Bharat NCAP will cover vehicles approved to transport up to eight passengers plus a driver and weighing less than 3.5 tonnes, whether domestically manufactured or imported. Local automakers stand to benefit from this policy, as they will no longer need to send their samples abroad for expensive testing and star grading.

Bharat NCAP will also include CNG and electric vehicles in its testing range, based on crash performance. Unlike other NCAP standards that offer separate star ratings for adult and child protection, Bharat NCAP intends to provide a single rating.

Abhay Mannikar, Senior Deputy Director at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the testing agency for Bharat NCAP, has confirmed that CNG and EVs will be within Bharat NCAP's scope.

Additionally, ARAI is making preparations to conduct the tests with the upcoming norms. "Our fully-equipped labs in Pune and Chakan have performed over 800 pre-NCAP crash tests. ARAI is ready to carry out tests of international standards that are particularly relevant to the Indian context," a senior officer from the testing agency stated.

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