“The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market,” said MoRTH’s press release. Under the Bharat NCAP 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, it will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and Child Occupant Protection (COP), something similar to what we’ve seen on Global NCAP‘s crash test as well.
Mahindra Scorpio-N based Global Pik Up Concept Walkaround | TOI Auto
MoRTH says that potential car customers can refer to these star ratings to compare the safety standards of different vehicles and accordingly make their purchase-decision. Similar to Global NCAP, the Bharat NCAP crash test will also be voluntary for now. However, we could expect the crash test to be made mandatory in the future for all cars sold in the market.
Given that India is one of the leading nations as per number of road accidents per year, a homegrown crash test would not only help the buyer make a wise decision while choosing a new car for his/her family, but also urge manufacturers to make safer cars to gain the trust of buyers. However, as long as the Bharat NCAP crash test is voluntary, many manufacturers might shy away from getting their vehicles crash tested until made mandatory.
Would you consider purchasing a car based on its crash test performance? Let us know in the comments down below.