In News:

• Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H), Government of India, published a draft standard car assessment programme - Bharat New Car Assessment Programmes (NCAP).
• Under Bharat NCAP, which is proposed to be rolled out from next April, automobiles in India shall be accorded 'Star Ratings' based on their performance in crash tests. 

What’s in today’s article:

• The new car assessment program
  • About Bharat NCAP
  • Features
  • Need
  • Significance
• About Global NCAP

The new car assessment program:

• About Bharat NCAP:
  • It is proposed in the Draft General Statutory Rules (GSR) Notification of the MoRT&H.
  • It is a testing protocol, wherein automobiles in India shall be accorded Star Ratings based upon their performance in crash tests.
  • The proposed assessment will allocate Star Ratings from 1 to 5 stars.
  • It will be a voluntary programme under which the cost of a new car for the purpose of assessment shall be borne by the respective vehicle manufacturer or importer.
  • It will be rolled out from April 1, 2023.
• Features:
  • While India has mandatory crash test norms for cars, the Bharat NCAP rating will be of superior standard and will be aligned with global crash-test protocols.
  • Unlike in other countries where the NCAP are carried out by non-government entities, there will be a Bharat NCAP Authority in India.
  • The authority will also host the safety ratings of all new car models on a website for public knowledge.
  • These safety ratings will be based on three vehicle features - Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP) and Safety Assist Technologies (SAT).
• Need:
  • In India, a total number of 3,66,138 road accidents have been reported in 2020, claiming 1,31,714 lives and causing injuries to 3,48,279 persons.
  • The Bharat NCAP's safety ratings will help car buyers to make decisions wisely before purchasing a car and giving a boost to road safety in India.
• Significance:
  • Bharat NCAP will serve as a consumer-centric platform, allowing customers to opt for safer cars based upon their Star-Ratings.
  • This will promote a healthy competition among original equipment manufacturers in India to manufacture safer vehicles. 

Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP):

• It is a major project of the Towards Zero Foundation which is a United Kingdom registered charity.
• It serves as a platform for cooperation among new car assessment programmes worldwide and promotes the universal adoption of the United Nations (UN) most important motor vehicle safety standards worldwide.
• Global NCAP has adopted a Road Map for Safer Vehicles 2020 which provides a recommended timetable for UN Member States to apply the most important UN vehicle safety regulations.