India launches own safety test for cars

New Delhi, August 22

The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) was on Tuesday launched by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

Set to be implemented from October 1, the initiative aims to enhance car safety standards in India, focusing on vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.

Speaking at the launch, Gadkari said the Bharat NCAP would play a key role in making India’s automobile industry “aatmanirbhar.” The Bharat NCAP car safety standard aligns with the government’s vision to make the country a global automobile hub, he said.

The primary goal of the programme is to enhance road safety by awarding star ratings to cars based on their performance in rigorous tests. These tests evaluate both adult and child occupant safety, providing consumers with a simple way to compare the safety levels of different car models before making a purchase. The tests will assess vehicle safety through front impact, side impact and side impact pole tests. While electric vehicles (EVs) are not currently part of the protocol, the government plans to include the EV segment also in the future.