Quick links:
- What is an NCAP and what will the Bharat NCAP achieve?
- The importance of Indian Crash Data
- Wishlist for the Bharat NCAP
The Honourable Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, recently announced the approval of a draft notification for the upcoming Bharat New Car Assessment Program or Bharat NCAP.
The Bharat NCAP is designed to promote safer cars by improving the crashworthiness of cars sold in India. Once implemented, the Bharat NCAP could be a game-changer for car safety in India!
As per the minister’s statement, the goal of Bharat NCAP is to improve the road safety scenario in India. But, in my opinion, the Bharat NCAP may not succeed in this goal unless it tackles some important road safety challenges in India.
But, before we get to that, let us understand what is an NCAP…
What is an NCAP and what will the Bharat NCAP achieve?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) in the 1970s. The purpose was to encourage both car manufacturers and buyers to buy safer vehicles.
Under the NCAP program, each new car model is crash tested under set parameters. Each car model is given a star rating out of five based on the car’s performance in the crash tests. A “5-star” rated car is considered to meet all of the NCAP’s standards.
NCAP tests are conducted independently and provide an unbiased safety rating.
The NCAP rating model was later adopted in Europe (Euro NCAP), Australia (ANCAP), Japan (JNCAP), South-east Asia (ASEAN NCAP), and Latin America (LATIN-NCAP). The Indian government has been trying to introduce a made-in-India NCAP since 2014.
The Bharat NCAP will aim to provide two important benefits:
- To increase safety awareness in Indian car buyers.
- To encourage all car manufacturers to make safer cars.
However, the Bharat NCAP may not succeed to achieve its goal. This is because the Bharat NCAP does not reflect the Indian road safety scenario.
In order to be effective, the Bharat NCAP should focus on one thing: Use Indian Crash data.
The importance of Indian Crash Data for the Bharat NCAP
An NCAP contains various crash tests such as frontal-offset crash test, side-impact crash test, side-pole impact crash test, pedestrian impact test, and so on.
But, have you wondered how were these tests decided?
Crash data is the core of all crash tests
Crash tests in any country are designed using local road crash data.
The purpose of the NCAP is to test a car’s safety performance in the real world. Naturally, it makes sense to design crash tests that represent real-world car crashes.
The NCAP program has achieved success in developed countries because the tests were designed using crash data from the respective country. NHTSA, in the US, used NASS and FARS to start the first NCAP. EURO NCAP started with the help of CCIS, GIDAS, and other European crash databases. Japan NCAP used the ITARDA crash data.
All these countries predominantly have car crash fatalities. The frontal offset crash test is designed to simulate car-to-car collisions. The side-impact test represents an intersection or “T-Bone” crash. Side-pole crashes represent collisions with trees.
Some countries have also updated their crash test programs based on local crash data. The ASEAN NCAP of South-East Asia initially tested cars through crash tests designed in developed countries. However, using its own crash data (MIROS), the ASEAN NCAP now also includes multiple tests for motorcycle safety.
The Bharat NCAP needs to follow the example set by ASEAN NCAP.
Indian crashes are unique
Crash data from India shows that NCAP crash tests are only applicable in around 20% of crashes involving cars. Car occupants in India are more likely to die in truck underrides or rollovers!
There is no point in testing a car for a car-to-car collision if a car is more likely to collide with a motorcycle or truck on the road!
Unless the Bharat NCAP recognizes Indian crash data, the tests will not be applicable to the Indian roads.
Wishlist for the Bharat NCAP
Using my crash investigation experience and study of Indian crash data, I have prepared a list of tests that the Bharat NCAP should design. These tests will reflect the Indian crash scenario
Truck underrides
Go through any news reports on car fatalities. In more than 50% of the crashes, you will find that the car has impacted a heavy truck.
In crashes with trucks, the car is highly likely to go under the truck. This is known as a truck underride. Truck underrides are deadly for cars. This is because:
- Trucks are much heavier than cars. In a crash, the car will sustain most of the impact forces.
- There is also a height mismatch between cars and trucks. Due to the height mismatch, the car’s energy-absorbing crumple zones rarely come into play.
I have come across many 5-star rated cars that have failed to provide adequate safety in truck underrides. The car is simply no match for heavy trucks.
To tackle this issue, the Bharat NCAP must conduct specific crash tests to test crash compatibility in truck underrides. These tests primarily check the performance of underride protection devices in trucks. The IIHS in the US conducts such tests.
Rollover crash tests
After underrides, the next most deadly crash for car occupants is a rollover. The current NCAP tests might test for the car’s front and side crash. But, the roof strength is never checked. A car requires a strong roof, side rails, and pillars to handle rollover crashes. Too often I have seen a car’s pillars and side rails getting crushed in rollovers.
Car rollover tests should be conducted to check body strength. These tests also test the effectiveness of curtain airbags or rollover airbags.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
ADAS is the upcoming and promising trend in automotive safety. Systems such as Forward Collision Warning or Autonomous Emergency Braking are currently being tested in all global NCAP programs. The Bharat NCAP should not fall behind and tests for ADAS should be designed for the Indian conditions.
Two-wheeler tests
Two-wheelers are the most abundant users on Indian roads and also the deadliest. This may continue for years to come.
That is why the Bharat NCAP should incorporate dedicated two-wheelers tests for advanced safety devices such as Forward Collision Warning or Blindspot Warning on two-wheelers. The Latin NCAP and ASEAN NCAP have such tests.
Crash tests can be also designed for car-to-two-wheeler collisions.
Pedestrian impact assessment
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users and require protection from vehicles. The Bharat NCAP draft notification mentions a test for car-to-pedestrian collisions. However, pedestrian impact tests can also be extended for two-wheelers.
Crash tests for Heavy Vehicles
Trucks and Buses are generally considered the “villains” on the roads and are blamed for most road crashes. However, the safety of trucks and buses themselves is often overlooked.
From time to time, we come across crashes in which a bus has fallen off the road leading to multiple fatalities. Fatal truck crashes on highways are also common.
Heavy vehicle fatalities are caused due to an unsafe body structure. As there are no strict standards, most heavy vehicle bodies are built after-market and without any safety assessment. This needs to change.
To achieve the goal of reducing fatalities by 50% by 2030, we cannot overlook the safety of trucks and buses. Just like the developed countries, we need strict standards and even a star rating system for trucks and buses. The Euro NCAP is already considering standards for heavy vehicles.
Bharat NCAP should be truly “Made in India”
The proposed Bharat NCAP protocol replicates the tests conducted by the NCAPs in developed countries. Although this is a good start, testing Indian vehicles using crash scenarios from developed countries may not be successful in the long run.
What we need is a “By India, For India” Bharat NCAP that uses Indian crash data as its core.
However, even if the Bharat NCAP does consider Indian crash data, always keep in mind all NCAPs have limitations.
We have taken the first step by considering a Bharat NCAP. The next step should be to make Bharat NCAP a truly “Made-in-India” program.
Last Updated on April 12, 2023 by RSG