India launches Bharat NCAP rating for vehicle safety to curb road accidents
India traffic
The Indian government on Tuesday (August 22) launched its own crash test rating structure to assess the safety of new vehicles. The new safety rating system called the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (B-NCAP) will assign star ratings based on a vehicle’s performance during crash tests similar to the global NCAP and European NCAP.
What is the new safety system about?
The announcement was made by Union Minister for Road Transport and HighwayNitin Gadkari, who stressed the importance of safer vehicles in India. This comes as hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives in car accidents every year.
The move will bring cars in India in line with global standards, Gadkari said during a press conference.
As per the new system, which will be implemented on October 1, vehicles will be assigned a rating of one to five stars based on crash tests, including crashes from the front and side, and other safety parameters.
The rating will help buyers make an informed decision about the vehicle as well as encourage car makers to upgrade their safety standards, officials have said previously.
According to the Indian minister, B-NCAP would also help the auto industry access the export market with both cost and quality propositions.
“This is going to increase the production and give more profits and more number of orders not just in the domestic market but also in the international market,” said Gadkari.
He also said that the government has already received requests to test and certify more than 30 car models from different companies.
What are the rules now?
As of now, crash-testing of vehicles in India is not mandatory but a few companies have reportedly gotten some of their vehicles tested at NCAP-accredited centres in Europe. Therefore the move is also being hailed by some since it reduces the cost of shipping and testing vehicles abroad.
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“This move eliminates the need and associated costs of testing vehicles outside (India),” said Myung-Sik Sohn, chief sales and business officer at Kia India, as quoted by Reuters.
Initially, the programme will be voluntary and testing will cost about $72,237 when compared to around $300,988 charged globally, said the Indian officials.
As per data from the Indian government, at least 150,000 people lost their lives due to road accidents in 2022.
(With inputs from agencies)
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