Back in February 2022, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that India would soon have its own star rating safety system called Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programs). And now, reports suggest that the union ministry will issue the draft notification for the same in the coming months. It is likely to follow the revised test protocols of Global NCAP, which will come into effect from July this year. That said, the crash tests are expected to be done at 64kmph instead of 56kmph, which is required for type approval certification.
The Central Institue of Road Transport (CIRT), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Shipping & Transport, is proposed to lead the Bharat NCAP initiative. However, the governing structure is yet to be finalized. For those who aren’t aware, the CIRT offers technical training, consultancy, and automobile component testing services.
The transport ministry is also planning to make electronic stability control (ESC) and three-point seat belts mandatory for all cars, whereas a minimum of 6 airbags will be compulsory from October 2022. Furthermore, some mandatory active-safety features also seem to be in the plan, including an advanced emergency braking system (AEBS), driver drowsiness detection, and Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS).
