26 Aug 2023 Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BHARAT NCAP)

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BHARAT NCAP)”. The topic “Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BHARAT NCAP)” has relevance in the “Economy” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:

What is Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BHARAT NCAP)?
What is the Global New Car Assessment Programme?

For Mains:

GS3:  Economy

Why in the news?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced a new indigenous star-rating system for evaluating the safety of vehicles involved in collisions. 

Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP)

• The system, known as the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), aims to provide consumers with valuable safety information when purchasing cars. 
• Scheduled to commence on October 1, 2023, this initiative is crafted to tackle the alarming road fatality rates in India.

Objectives and Impact of Bharat NCAP

• The primary objective of the Bharat NCAP is to empower consumers with safety-related information, enabling them to make informed decisions when purchasing vehicles. 
• The program aims to create demand for safer cars, ultimately contributing to a reduction in road fatalities in India. 
• The country currently experiences a high number of road crash-related deaths, accounting for 10% of global road crash fatalities despite having only 1% of the world’s vehicles. 
• This initiative is in alignment with global efforts to enhance road safety and has the potential to positively impact India’s economy, considering that road crashes are estimated to incur a cost of 5 to 7% of GDP to the nation annually.

Scope and Criteria of Bharat NCAP

• The Bharat NCAP is applicable to passenger vehicles with a maximum of eight seats, excluding the driver’s seat, and a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3,500 kilograms. 
• The program will evaluate vehicles by conducting crash tests according to the soon-to-be-published Automotive Industry Standard 197.
• The crash tests will focus on the base models of nominated car variants.

• The safety evaluation will be based on three key parameters:

• • Adult Occupant Protection: This assesses how well a vehicle safeguards adult passengers during a collision.

• • Child Occupant Protection: This evaluates the protection provided to child passengers.

• • Safety Assist Technologies: This examines the presence and effectiveness of safety features in the vehicle.

• Crash Tests and Evaluation

• • Frontal Offset Test: In this test, a vehicle is driven at 64 km/h with a 40% overlap into a deformable barrier, simulating a collision between two cars of similar weight.
  • Side Impact Test: This test simulates a side collision at 50 km/h.
  • Pole-Side Impact Test: A vehicle is crashed into a rigid pole sideways at 29 km/h.

Based on the results of these tests, vehicles will receive a star rating ranging from one star to five stars. The higher the star rating, the better the vehicle’s performance in terms of safety.

Voluntary Participation and Exceptions

• Participation in the Bharat NCAP is voluntary for automobile manufacturers. However, certain scenarios may necessitate mandatory testing:
  • Base model of a popular variant with a minimum sale of 30,000 units.
  • Recommendations from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways based on market feedback or public safety concerns.

Global NCAP

• The testing protocols of the Bharat NCAP are inspired by the Global NCAP, an initiative led by the U.K.-based NGO, Towards Zero Foundation. 
• The Global NCAP serves as a collaborative platform for assessing vehicle safety across various countries. 

Looking Forward: 

• India needs to develop crash testing capabilities and knowledge for meaningful implementation of Bharat NCAP.
• A software system linked to dummies in cars is necessary for assessing injury nature and extent.
• As India strives to make its roads safer, adopting best practices from international counterparts like the U.S. NCAP and Japan’s NCAP will contribute to a comprehensive and holistic approach to vehicular safety, safeguarding not only the passengers but also pedestrians and other road users.

Sources: Explained | What is the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme? – The Hindu 

Yojna daily current affairs eng med 26th August 2023

Q1. With reference to Bharat NCAP, consider the following statements: 

1. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has introduced the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) to ensure the safety of automobiles in the Indian market.
2. The program aims to create a supply of safer cars through legal safeguards. . 
3. The testing procedures of the Bharat NCAP draw inspiration from the Global NCAP, which operates as a United Nations initiative.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only 

(d) None 

Answer: (d) 

Q2. Consider the following statements:

1. The Bharat NCAP program is designed to address the increasing pollution rates in India.
2. The Bharat NCAP applies to passenger vehicles with a maximum of eight seats and a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3,500 kilograms.
3. The safety evaluation under the Bharat NCAP includes parameters like Engine Performance and Fuel Efficiency.

How many of the abovementioned statements are correct ?

(a) Only one 

(b) Only two 

(c) All three 

(d) None

Answer: (a)

Q3. Discuss the significance of the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat  NCAP), especially in light of India’s high road accident statistics, in addressing road safety concerns. 

Gaurav N