What Bharat NCAP Really Means for Indian Car Safety Ratings

For decades, Indian car buyers judged safety by airbags, brand reputation, or gut feeling. Bharat NCAP changes that. Launched in October 2023, Bharat NCAP is India’s first official star-based car safety rating system, built to show how cars perform in real crash conditions.

In 2023 alone, India lost over 1.72 lakh lives in road accidents, nearly 20 deaths every hour. Bharat NCAP was introduced because assumptions were clearly failing Indian roads.

How Bharat NCAP Crash Tests Measure Survival, Not Style

Crash testing is not theoretical. Cars are intentionally crashed in controlled environments to study how much force reaches the occupants.

Bharat NCAP Crash Tests Include:

Sensors on dummies track injuries to the head, chest, legs, while engineers evaluate cabin strength, airbag deployment, seatbelt performance, and child seat effectiveness.

The result is a 0 to 5 star Bharat NCAP rating, meant to guide Indian families toward safer cars.

Understanding Bharat NCAP Scoring Categories

Bharat NCAP evaluates vehicles across three safety pillars:

More stars improve survival odds, but they do not eliminate injury risk.

The Hidden Gap: Bharat NCAP Tests One Body Type

Under AIS-197, Bharat NCAP frontal crash tests use Hybrid III 50th percentile male dummies only. These represent an average male body around 78 kg and 175 cm tall. This ignores real-world diversity.

Research shows women are:

• Up to 73% more likely to suffer serious injuries

• 20 to 28% more likely to die in similar crashes

Older adults face higher risks due to fragile bones and different seating postures. A restraint system safe for a 30-year-old may injure a 70-year-old. Until Bharat NCAP adopts female, elderly, and varied body dummies, ratings remain incomplete.

Do 5-Star Bharat NCAP Cars Protect at 100 km/h

Bharat NCAP frontal tests happen at 64 km/h, aligned with global standards. Indian highways often see speeds of 90 to 100 km/h or more.

At higher speeds:

• Crash energy rises exponentially
• Even 5-star Bharat NCAP cars lose protection effectiveness
• Survival depends on speed, road design, and enforcement

Stars indicate minimum safety compliance, not immunity.

The Road Ahead for Bharat NCAP in India

Bharat NCAP is a serious step forward, but not the final answer. Key gaps remain:

• No pedestrian safety testing
• Limited dummy diversity
• Test speeds not matching Indian driving behavior

Safer cars need safer roads, better crossings, school zones, and enforcement. Participatory road design and Bharat NCAP together can change outcomes. One without the other cannot.

FAQs: 

How can I check my car’s Bharat NCAP rating
Visit the official Bharat NCAP website or check the manufacturer’s brochure.

Are bigger cars safer under Bharat NCAP
No. Structural engineering, crash absorption, and safety systems matter more than size.

Does a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating mean zero injury
No. It improves survival odds at tested speeds, not in every real-world crash.

Is Bharat NCAP mandatory for all cars
Currently, it applies to passenger vehicles under 3.5 tonnes with up to 8 seats.

Will Bharat NCAP include women and elderly dummies
Not yet. Experts widely agree this is the next critical upgrade.