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India Releases Bharat NCAP 2.0 Draft With VRU Tests and Tougher Star Ratings

The proposal is open for public comment through December 20 ahead of an expected 2027 start.

Overview

  • MoRTH’s draft shifts to a five-pillar framework with explicit weightages: crash protection 55%, vulnerable road users 20%, safe driving 10%, crash avoidance 10%, post-crash safety 5%.
  • Crash protection expands to five mandatory tests, adding an oblique pole side impact, a full-width frontal impact, and a rear impact to existing frontal and side tests.
  • Vulnerable road user protection introduces pedestrian legform and adult/child headform impact tests with optional AEBS evaluations for pedestrians and car-to-motorcyclist scenarios.
  • Eligibility rules tighten by requiring ESC and curtain airbags as standard and excluding vehicles with side-facing seats, while post-crash checks cover electrical/fire risks and occupant extrication.
  • Star ratings get higher thresholds (5-star at 80 points, 4-star at 65), mandate a minimum AOP share for 3-star and above, bar any zero scores for 5-star cars, and will apply for four years once finalised.