The government is set to introduce a new vehicle-testing scheme, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) from October 1. It will rate cars based on how they perform in a series of crash tests. Mint takes a closer look at BNCAP.
What is BNCAP?
BNCAP is a car-testing programme that establishes safety standards for motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes by crash-testing them on various parameters. These crash tests will be based on protocols laid down in the soon-to-be-published Automotive Industry Standard 197. Based on their performance in the tests, which are on the lines of the Global NCAP and European NCAP, vehicles will be assigned a rating of one star to five stars. These ratings will have to be displayed on the vehicles with stickers, allowing customers to make informed choices and promoting competition among carmakers in India to manufacture safer vehicles.
What are the parameters for rating vehicles?
Crash tests will be evaluated on three parameters – adult occupant protection, child occupant protection and safety assist technologies offered by the car. The first two parameters will be calculated with three types of tests.
The first is a frontal-impact test with an offset deformable barrier, in which a vehicle is driven at 64 kmph and with 40% overlap into a deformable barrier, which represents an oncoming vehicle, replicating a crash between two cars of the same weight.
Other tests are a side-impact test at 50 kmph and a pole side-impact test (where a car is crashed sideways into a rigid pole) at 29 kmph. The pole impact test will only be done if a vehicle qualifies for 3, 4 or 5 star rating. Additionally, the tests will check for the presence of safety features such as an electronic stability-control system, pedestrian protection system, seat belt reminder, and so on.
Who will conduct the crash tests?
The ministry of road transport and highways has authorised CIRT (Central Institute of Road Transport) to oversee BNCAP crash tests. CIRT will set operational procedures for testing, coordinate with testing agencies to get vehicles tested, process the results and finalise the star ratings.
The actual crash testing will be conducted by testing agencies such as the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) on payment of a fee. About 6 to 8 testing centres are already operational near auto hubs and more such centres will be set up soon.
Which vehicles will be tested?
BNCAP applies to passenger vehicles with no more than eight seats (in addition to the driver’s seat), and with a gross weight below 3,500 kg. Only the base model of a particular variant will be tested. Vehicles will be selected at random and not supplied by manufacturers.
BNCAP testing will be voluntary at first, but ministry officials said that down the road, vehicles may be identified for testing based on market feedback. Transport minister Nitin Gadkari said automobile manufacturers have already offered 30 car models for crash testing under Bharat NCAP, but did not offer details.
What are the potential benefits of BNCAP?
The introduction of an India-specific NCAP is expected to increase the local production of safety components, which could boost the production and adoption of safer vehicles. Though it is voluntary to start with, the rules could be made more stringent once sufficient capacity for such testing is available.
Will this make cars more expensive?
As the tests will involve the payment of fees and the possible inclusion of additional safety features in vehicles, they could raise prices. However, automobile companies have said that as the process gains momentum in the coming years, the price impact of the new programme will be minimised. According to Gadkari, crash testing costs ₹2.5 crore abroad but could cost only ₹60 lakh under Bharat NCAP. This could even encourage companies that get their vehicles tested at NCAP-accredited centres in Europe, particularly Germany, to shift testing to India.
What’s the process of getting a car tested under BNCAP?
The process starts with a manufacturer nominating a vehicle for testing. A BNCAP representative will then visit the manufacturing facility or dealership to select a base model of the vehicle at random. The selected vehicle will then be sent to a testing centre, where it will be crash-tested in the presence of representatives of both the manufacturer and BNCAP.
Then test results will be compiled and sent to the manufacturer, spending the BNCAP standing committee’s approval. After this approval is in, BNCAP will publish the test results and star rating, and CIRT will issue a certificate.
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