Lok Sabha Question No. 817 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-21
Subject: Bharat New Car Assessment Programme
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Chandra Sekhar Sahu

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  approved/issued  a  notification  to introduce Bharat New  Car Assessment  Programme  to enable automobile industry to accord star ratings to vehicles;
- (b) if so, the details and the salient features thereof;
- (c) whether  manufactures  of  small  segment  of  cars  have  been  facing difficulties in providing low-cost vehicles in the country as a result thereof;
- (d) if so, the number of car manufacturers who have represented against the said new policy; and
- (e) the  extent  to  which  the  said  new  policy  is  likely  to  increase  road safety in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) and (b) The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued G.S.R. 472(E) dated 24th June 2022, whereby it  has been proposed to insert a new rule 126E in CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules), 1989 regarding the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP). The following has been proposed:-

- (i)  It is applicable on Type Approved motor vehicles of category M1 [motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 817 ANSWERED ON 21 ST  JULY, 2022

## BHARAT NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME

817.  SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

eight seats, in addition to driver's seat] with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 Tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country, in accordance with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197.  The standard is aligned with global benchmarks: it is beyond minimum regulatory requirements. (ii) Bharat NCAP rating provides star rating to motor vehicles, which will enable consumers to evaluate the level of protection offered to   occupants  in  motor  vehicles  in  the  fields  of  (a)  Adult  Occupant Protection (AOP) (b) Child Occupant Protection (COP) and (c) Safety Assist Technologies (SAT). The vehicle shall be assigned a star rating from one to five stars, based on scoring against various tests undertaken as per AIS 197. It  introduces  the  concept  of  safety  rating  of  passenger  cars  and empowers consumers to take informed decisions. It will promote export worthiness of the cars produced by OEMs in the country and increase the domestic  customer's  confidence  in  these  vehicles.  Additionally  the program  will  encourage  manufacturers  to  provide  advanced  safety technologies to earn higher ratings. (iii) The testing of vehicles for this program will be carried out at Testing Agencies, with the necessary infrastructure, referred to in Rule 126 of CMVR 1989. (iv)It will be implemented from the 1st day of April, 2023. Comments and suggestions  on  the  draft  notification  have  been  solicited  from  all stakeholders within a period of thirty days. (c)  and  (d)  No.  There  will  not  be  any  impact  on  Cost  of  small/big automobiles due to BNCAP. (e) If consumers buy automobiles of higher rating, number of deaths in road accidents are likely to reduce significantly. A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), USA, indicates that frontal airbags alone can save upto 34%of lives lost due to frontal collisions. Use of side airbags alone can save upto 31%of lives lost due to side collisions.

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