The case for Bharat NCAP
02 Feb 2023
The latest round of GNCAP results is out and everything is as before: the Marutis didn't fare well; online moral police called for a ban; some said the tests are pointless; while others smelled a scam with GNCAP. I got tagged in numerous posts asking why the Government is not banning all low scoring cars, are the tests legit and so forth. So first up. Can low starred cars be banned? No, they can't. Simply because they all meet our safety norms, which were upgraded in 2019. Remember, the country's safety norms are a pass or fail mark, with those failing not being allowed to sell. Case in point, cars like the Omni, Nano and the Sumo were all axed with the introduction of the new safety norms. NCAP, on the other hand, is a 'rating' over and above the government's safety standard, and not just a pass or fail. Moreover, it is a third-party rating – not a government law – done to help customers make an informed choice since no rating exists beyond the pass or fail mandate.
