MoRTH Proposes Bharat NCAP 2.0 Draft With Five-Pillar Assessment and Stricter Safety Criteria
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has unveiled the draft for Bharat NCAP 2.0, enhancing India's car safety rating program. This updated framework introduces a five-pillar assessment structure focusing on crash protection, vulnerable road user protection, and more. New crash tests are mandated, including various impact scenarios. Vehicles must meet stricter eligibility criteria, including mandatory Electronic Stability Control and side airbags. The rating system also features higher thresholds for star ratings and new post-crash safety evaluations, emphasizing rescue and risk management.
MoRTH Proposes Bharat NCAP 2.0 Draft With Five-Pillar Assessment and Stricter Safety Criteria
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The introduction of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) testing by Bharat NCAP by October 2027 will enhance vehicle safety assessments significantly. It will evaluate how effectively features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance contribute to accident prevention, potentially leading to higher safety ratings for vehicles equipped with these technologies. This move aligns Bharat NCAP closer to global standards, promoting the adoption of advanced safety features among manufacturers.
Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP both assess vehicle safety, but Bharat NCAP's recent updates, including the five-pillar assessment structure, emphasize a broader range of safety criteria tailored for Indian roads. While Global NCAP focuses on adult and child occupant protection, Bharat NCAP is expanding to include vulnerable road user protection and post-crash safety, reflecting local road conditions and safety concerns more effectively.
The proposed Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) for electric vehicles, effective from October 2026, aims to enhance pedestrian safety. As electric vehicles are typically quieter than conventional cars, the AVAS will alert pedestrians and other road users to their presence, potentially reducing accidents. This initiative aligns with global safety standards and addresses growing concerns over silent vehicle operation in urban environments.
Corporate and fleet owners are encouraged to prioritize five-star rated vehicles as part of their commitment to employee safety. David Ward from GNCAP emphasized that selecting safer vehicles can significantly reduce work-related road crashes. By investing in high-rated vehicles and ensuring proper maintenance, companies can lower operational risks and enhance overall road safety for their employees.
Bharat NCAP's plan to introduce safety ratings for trucks and e-rickshaws reflects a comprehensive approach to road safety in India. By applying similar assessment protocols used for passenger vehicles, the initiative aims to enhance the safety standards of commercial vehicles, which are often involved in serious accidents. This move will not only improve safety for drivers and passengers but also for vulnerable road users.
A New Five-Pillar Assessment Structure
The draft standard outlines a combined rating generated from five separate “assessment verticals,” each contributing to the final weighted score out of 100 points:- Safe Driving
- Accident Avoidance
- Crash Protection
- Vulnerable Road User Protection
- Post-Crash Safety
Two New Crash Tests Added
The crash testing requirements are significantly expanded. The draft mandates five full-scale crash tests, including two entirely new ones.- Offset frontal impact at 64 km/h
- Full-width frontal impact at 50 km/h
- Side impact at 50 km/h
- New: Oblique pole side impact at 32 km/h
- New: Rear impact test at 50 km/h
- A model seeking three stars or more must achieve at least 55% of the crash protection score in Adult Occupant Protection.
- A model cannot receive five stars if any assessment vertical scores zero or if any injury measurement falls in the “red zone.”
Vulnerable Road User Protection: Pedestrian and Motorcyclist Focus
The second most heavily weighted area which is 20% - covers front-end pedestrian impact tests.- Legform impact to the bumper
- Adult and child headform impacts on the bonnet and windshield areas
- Adult pedestrian
- Child pedestrian
- Motorcycle rear-end moving scenario
Safe Driving: Driver-Assist Alerts
This vertical looks at up to eight alert-based driver-assist functions, such as:- Seat-belt reminder with occupant detection
- Driver drowsiness warning
- Forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot detection or visualization
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Traffic sign recognition
- Hill-hold assist
New Mandatory Safety Requirements for Eligibility
A major change is that not every vehicle can be tested, even if the manufacturer wants it to be.- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) must be standard
- Side head-protection devices (such as curtain airbags) must be standard
- No side-facing seats
Post-Crash Safety: New Emphasis on Rescue and Secondary Risks
Bharat NCAP 2.0 adds a new vertical to assess the vehicle’s ability to support occupants after a crash. It covers:- Energy management for fire and electrical hazards
- Ease of occupant extrication
- Optional systems like multi-collision braking and SOS/E-Call
New Scoring Rules and Higher Star Cut-Offs
The rating cut-offs in Bharat NCAP 2.0 are stricter. For vehicles assessed between 2027–2029, the weighted score thresholds are:- 5-star: 70
- 4-star: 60
- 3-star: 50
- No vertical is allowed to score zero, or the rating drops to four stars.
- No dummy injury measurement can fall in the red zone before modifiers.
New Testing and Validation Controls
The draft introduces more detailed sampling and retest rules to maintain integrity:- Vehicles should ideally be selected from dealer stock, not special batches.
- Production-spec status is required; prototype parts are not allowed.
- Star rating is withheld if a safety component fails unexpectedly until the issue is investigated.
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