Bharat NCAP 2.0 Draft Proposes New Assessment Tests, Stricter Rating System: Details Inside

Bharat NCAP 2.0: With Bharat getting ready to roll out the new version of Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) in late 2027, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification proposing amends to the existing vehicle safety rating framework. The proposal mentions that the vehicle's overall safety rating will be based on its combined performance across five assessment areas – Safe Driving, Accident Avoidance, Crash Protection, Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Protection and Post-Crash Safety.

Stricter Rating System

Whereas the current Bharat NCAP framework evaluates passenger vehicles across the following areas (Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, and fitment of safety assist systems), the upcoming Bharat NCAP 2.0 will grade vehicles based on a combined rating out of 100 points. To secure a perfect 5-star safety rating, a vehicle must score at least 70 points from 2027 to 2029. The number will rise to 80 after two years.

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ADAS Will be Tested too

With the implementation of Bharat NCAP 2.0, India will shift gears, broadening its testing scope to incorporate Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and more are gaining traction in India. Furthermore, the draft proposes to make Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Side Head Protection/curtain bags mandatory to achieve a 5-star rating. 

Crash Score to be Given the Highest Priority

According to the draft, the new framework leans heavily on the crash score, which carries a weightage of 55 per cent. Unlike Bharat NCAP, the next version is proposed to expand its testing capabilities to 5 tests – a 64km/h offset frontal impact, a 50km/h full-width frontal impact, a 50km/h lateral mobile barrier impact, a 50km/h mobile rigid rear impact, and a 32km/h oblique pole impact test.

However, that won't be enough for a 5-star rating, with the proposal putting VRU Protection next in priority, followed by Safe Driving and Accident Avoidance, and Post-Crash Safety. Here's a closer look at the area-wise weightage:

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But...Not Enough for 5-Star Rating

With a 20 per cent weightage, VRU Protection mandates several impact tests on the vehicle's front end, including assessing potential injuries to both adults and children using a bumper, windshield, and an engine hood. The Safe Driving assessment area, under Bharat NCAP 2.0, will check whether the vehicle tested has any five of the following eight technologies – seatbelt reminders, blind spot detection, driver drowsiness alerts, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alerts, traffic sign recognition, speed limit information systems, and hill hold assist. Otherwise, no points will be awarded.

As for the Accident Avoidance systems, the draft primarily focuses on Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS). The former is a mandatory requirement, while the latter is voluntary. The Post-Crash Safety assessment mandates ease of occupant extrication and minimising/preventing electrical and fire risks. Optional features include SOS calls, multi-collision braking, and rescue sheets.