India’s Own Safety Rating Standards
In 2016, the Indian government suggested a star rating system based on safety features for new passenger automobiles, similar to the Global NCAP. Car makers were to apply this on a voluntary basis, citing the vehicle’s safety performance. The plan, however, swiftly fell through after that. Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Nitin Gadkari, confirmed in a recent press conference addressing the ‘Automobile Safety Ecosystem in India’ that the Centre will soon make an announcement of having an India-specific vehicle safety rating programme, called Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), as well as implement essential safety features in newer cars, in a reformed ambition towards refining road and vehicle safety in the country.
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Official Announcement By Nitin Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, said, “We need to have safety ratings in accordance with systems in existence throughout the world. “It is very important that carmakers adhere to the global safety standards in India as well, and for this reason, the government will soon introduce Bharat NCAP, an independent car crash testing body, which will determine the safety rating of a car depending on various criteria, and will be at par with the programs running in USA, Australia, EU, and Japan. This will enable a buyer to make an informed decision while purchasing a car.”
Throughout addition to developing a star-rating system for vehicle safety in the country, the central government is aiming to make it necessary for automobiles to have six airbags and three-point seatbelts for all passengers, even those in the back middle seat. Gadkari described India’s present safety measures as antiquated and inconsistent, but emphasised the government’s commitment to strengthening automobile safety standards in India. He also sought public input on the topic.
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