Bharat NCAP will soon test ADAS capability of cars in India

The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) is all set to reveal its 2.0 version where it will update the vehicle safety test program by including new parameters. Most significantly, Bharat NCAP will include the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology and its capability to evaluate safety ratings of a car. Ujjwala Karle, Deputy Director and Head Technology Group & Digital Twin Lab at ARAI revealed this during the ADAS Show held in Bengaluru recently.

The Bharat NCAP was launched in India two years ago to evaluate safety ratings of cars made in India. It currently assesses Indian vehicles primarily on three parameters. These include Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection and Safety Assist Technologies which includes features like automatic braking and lane assistance. ADAS will be added to these parameters to evaluate overall safety score of a vehicle when Bharat NCAP 2.0 kicks in by 2027.

What is ADAS?

ADAS is one of the latest modern safety technologies included in vehicles sold in India. Indian carmakers, like Tata Motors and Mahindra, have joined global manufacturers to offer this feature in their cars. It uses cameras, sensors and radar to offer assistive safety features to help prevent road accidents. Most of the Indian cars equipped with this technology offer level-2 ADAS which offers features like blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and emergency braking.

Why ADAS will be evaluated in Bharat NCAP crash tests?

Karle said that the process to include ADAS in Bharat NCAP's vehicle safety program is a work in progress. Highlighting the need to include the technology as part of safety parameters, she said that the ARAI does not want ADAS to exist merely for the sake of availability. "The key challenge lies in adapting these features for Indian use cases. The same function, when calibrated specifically for India, can have a real and meaningful impact on users," Karle said.

Bharat NCAP crash tests: Safest Indian cars so far

Bharat NCAP has so far tested 14 vehicles since its debut two years ago. The vehicles tested by the agency includes electric vehicles as well as ICE models. Some of the safest cars in India tested by the agency so far include the likes of Mahindra Thar Roxx, XEV 9e, BE 6, Tata Curvv, Curvv EV, Punch EV, Skoda Kylaq which have secured five-star safety ratings.

Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.