India is getting its own ranking for vehicle accident safety. The country’s three largest automakers, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Toyota, have dubbed the impending rating system, known as the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP), as a bold move in the right direction for the domestic sector.
The president of Mahindra & Mahindra’s automotive technology and product development, Velusamy R, stated in a statement to the news agency PTI, “We at Mahindra believe it is one of the bold steps by the Ministry of Road Transport, and we welcome the implementation of Bharat NCAP.”
According to him, MoRTH’s approach would promote equality and encourage healthy competition among OEMs to produce safer models for Indian consumers.
According to a report by PTI, the government plans to start implementing the project on October 1, 2023. In a preliminary notification on the Bharat NCAP, the government suggests giving cars “Star Ratings” depending on how well they do in vehicle accident safety testing.
Manufacturers or importers of motor vehicles will need to submit a FORM 70-A application to the organization authorized by the federal government once the Bharat NCAP is put into effect.
The chosen agency’s vehicle will subsequently be star-rated in line with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197, as updated from time to time, according to the article.
According to it, the approved agency must submit the vehicle’s star rating to the specified webpage. It is important to emphasize that the Bharat NCAP will be a volunteer initiative at this point.
Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer (Corporate Affairs) of Maruti Suzuki India, stated that the automaker supports the Bharat NCAP.
“In principle, providing customer information and empowering the customer through authentic information is always a positive and welcome step, so Maruti Suzuki will support it,” he said.
“Bharat NCAP, in our opinion, is a positive development. While the industry has been actively promoting new benchmark safety standards, customers are also becoming more aware of the need for better safety features. It has given advancements and the introduction of newer norms in the country additional impetus,” according to a Toyota Kirloskar Motor spokesperson.
In a similar vein, Skoda Auto India Brand Director Petr Solc praised the Indian Government’s increased emphasis on safety laws and initiatives to enhance vehicle accident safety.
“Safety is a crucial factor, and the car’s construction and active and passive safety systems keep the driver and their family safe. To strengthen its position in the Indian market, Skoda would continue to prioritize safety, he stressed.
The planned effort is also supported by Tata Motors and Kia India.
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