India to introduce five-star safety ratings for new cars, but it ain’t ANCAP

The Indian Government has announced the introduction of five-star safety ratings to Bharat NCAP – the country's own new-car safety assessment program.

However, while it has a similar name, tests, and scoring system, it will be a watered-down version of what buyers would be familiar with through the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) used locally.

India is the world's third-largest car market, according to Automotive News Europe, as well as being home to some of the deadliest roads, with the government recording 150,000 road-related deaths in 2022.

Beginning from 1 October 2023, the new Bharat NCAP testing system will intend to help steer new-car buyers in India towards safer vehicles, as well as encouraging car-makers to build more safety features into their models.

Cars will be voluntarily nominated by manufacturers for evaluation. This is similar to ANCAP – though the Australian and New Zealand testing body can also independently purchase vehicles for testing, without the car manufacturer's funding.

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"It is great to see a local New Car Assessment Program established for the Indian market," ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg told Drive.

"The tests and scoring methods used by the new Bharat NCAP are fewer and somewhat different to those shared by ANCAP and Euro NCAP, but nevertheless will assist in establishing non-regulatory, consumer-influenced standards for new cars sold in the Indian market."

For example, while ANCAP tests frontal impacts – which account for 60 per cent of all serious crashes – at 64km/h, Bharat NCAP will be conducting frontal crash tests at 50km/h.

ANCAP also requires a higher number of points across a wider range of testing criteria in order to achieve a five-star safety rating, compared with Bharat NCAP.

"Vehicles manufactured in India and supplied into the Australian and New Zealand markets will still need to meet the broader and more stringent ANCAP standards if they are to aspire to meet the five-star safety standard Australasian consumers and fleets have come to expect," Ms Hoorweg said.