Bharat NCAP conducts first set of crash tests. Safety rating to be out soon

Bharat NCAP is all geared up to release the safety rating of the first set of vehicles it has tested since launch. The agency, which was launched earlier this year to evaluate safety of cars made in India, has already conducted its first crash test this month. Bharat NCAP was scheduled to do this test on December 15. The agency has announced the first safety rating will be out soon. It is expected to be revealed some time later this week.

Bharat NCAP was set up in lines of the Global NCAP, will put the first set of vehicles to test from this date. The agency was officially launched back in August as India's own new vehicle assessment programme. India is the fifth country in the world after the United States, China, South Korea and Japan to have its indigenous car crash test facility. Earlier, cars made in India were tested by Global NCAP. Bharat NCAP will now be responsible to qualify which are the safest cars in India.

Tata Motors is one of the first carmakers to have reportedly send its models for crash tests under Bharat NCAP. According to reports, Tata Harrier is the first SUV to undergo the Bharat NCAP crash test this month. The new Harrier was launched in India in September this year, and has already gone through safety test conducted by Global NCAP where it returned with five-star safety rating along with the new Safari SUV.

Several other carmakers are also expected to queue up for crash tests at Bharat NCAP in coming days. Top carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra are expected to send as many as 10 models for testing. Kia too is expected to send the new Seltos and Sonet, its two flagship SUVs. Hyundai Motor have already confirmed sending their cars to be tested by Bharat NCAP. The Korean auto giant had said that it will be sending three cars to Bharat NCAP. This could include models like the Exter SUV and the upcoming new Creta SUV. Hyundai's Verna was the last car to be tested by Global NCAP.

Bharat NCAP will conduct a series of crash tests which will include front impact, side pole impact, side barrier impact, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Pedestrian Safety Compliance, and more. The program plans to add rear crash protection and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Lane Departure Warning at a later stage.

The cars will need to secure a minimum score of 27 points in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and 41 points in Child Occupant Protection (COP) to get a five-star safety rating. For a minimum of three-star safety rating, the cars need to be equipped with six airbags, ESC, pedestrian protection compliant front design and seatbelt reminder for front seats. Over 30 models are already lined up for testing under the Bharat NCAP.