Push For Road Safety: Centre Formulating Strategy To Asses Star Rating Of Cars Under BNCAP

Promoting road safety, the central government is formulating a strategy to encourage car manufacturers to participate in safety testing assessment programmes and incorporate higher safety levels in new car models.

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry is working on a proposal in consultation with stakeholders to firm up the plan which would test and assess the star rating of a car under the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP).

The BNCAP will encourage car manufacturers to participate voluntarily in the safety testing assessment programme and incorporate higher safety levels in new car models with regard to various identified parameters including 'structural safety of car', 'safety of adult occupants of car', 'safety of child occupants of car', 'assessment of car for pedestrian friendly design' and 'provision of active and passive Safety Assist Technologies'. The proposed assessment will allocate star rating from one to five stars.

The Ministry has taken the following initiatives to enhance safety of the occupants, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users:

The Ministry had issued notification on 7 December 2017, for a motor vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising not more than 8 seats, in addition to the driver's seat, manufactured on and after 1 July 2019, are to comply with additional safety features like requirement of (a) airbag for the driver; (b) seat belt reminder; (c) manual override; (d) speed alert system; (e) vehicle reverse gear sensor; and its requirements, as stipulated in Automotive Industry Standard (AIS).

The Ministry has notified GSR 148(E), dated 2 March 2021, regarding mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.

Furthermore, the Ministry had proposed that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 1 October 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions. This has been notified to enhance safety of vehicle occupants.