Bharat NCAP to begin testing cars on December 15
Starting December 15, Bharat NCAP, a car safety evaluation program customized for Indian standards, will begin conducting crash tests. Initially supposed to launch on October 1, the testing was postponed due to the holiday season and a lack of personnel. Drawing inspiration from Global NCAP, Bharat NCAP's goal is to enhance the safety features of cars produced in India. In the initial stage, over 36 cars from Indian, Japanese, and Korean manufacturers will undergo testing.
Participation in the Bharat NCAP crash test is voluntary
Participation in Bharat NCAP is voluntary, with automakers choosing whether to have their models tested. The crash test procedures closely resemble those of Global NCAP, evaluating vehicles based on adult occupant protection (AOP), child occupant protection (COP), and safety assist technologies (SAT). Testing will be carried out by organizations such as the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), and Global Automotive Research (GAR).
Rating system is designed according to the Automotive Indian Standard
Vehicles tested under Bharat NCAP will receive points according to the Automotive Indian Standard (AIS) and will be assigned a rating from zero to five stars based on their performance. Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, and Mahindra are among the OEMs that have enrolled for the first phase. Tata Motors was the first to seek a Bharat NCAP rating, with its Harrier and Safari facelifts slated for testing. Maruti will submit three cars for testing, while Mahindra has registered four models.
European carmakers' response to Bharat NCAP
Although numerous automakers have expressed interest in Bharat NCAP, European firms such as SKODA, Volkswagen, Renault, and Stellantis Group may take more time to sign up. Some are still determining whether to send their vehicles for testing. Others argue that their cars have already been assessed under Global NCAP and see no immediate need for another similar test. Information about the models to be tested under Bharat NCAP will be disclosed in the upcoming days.
