Star Rating System for Cars under the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme

At present, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on a proposal in consultation with stakeholders to formulate a plan which would test and assess the star rating of a car under the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP). This programme will encourage manufacturers to participate voluntarily in the safety testing assessment programme and incorporate higher safety levels in new car models with regard to various identified parameters, as mentioned below: –

• Structural Safety of car
• Safety of Adult Occupants of Car
• Safety of Child Occupants of Car
• Assessment of Car for Pedestrian Friendly Design
• Provision of Active and Passive Safety Assist Technologies

The proposed assessment will allocate Star rating from 1 to 5 stars.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken the following initiatives to enhance safety of the occupants, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users:-

This Ministry has issued notification G.S.R 1483(E) dated 07.12.2017, vide which Motor vehicles of category M1 (i.e, a motor vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising not more than 8 seats, in addition to the driver’s seat), manufactured on and after the 1st day of July, 2019, are to comply with additional safety features like requirement of (a) airbag for the driver; (b) seat belt reminder; (c)manual over-ride; (d)speed alert system; (e)vehicle reverse gear sensor; and its requirements, as stipulated in Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 145 -2017, as amended from time to time.

The Ministry has notified GSR 148(E) dated 2nd March, 2021 regarding mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver. Furthermore, the Ministry, vide draft GSR 16(E) dated 14th January, 2022, has proposed that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 01st October, 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso air bags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions. This has been notified to enhance safety of vehicle occupants. Stakeholders’ comments and objections have been invited within a period of thirty days. This Ministry, vide draft GSR 106(E) dated 11th February, 2022, has proposed that all front facing seats in vehicles of M1 category, manufactured on and after 01st October 2022, be provided with three point seat belt. Comments and objections have been solicited from all stakeholders within a period of thirty days.

This Ministry, vide notifications S.O. 1139 (E) dated 28th April 2015 and S.O. 2412(E) dated 3rd September 2015, mandated AIS 098/2008 for protection of occupants in the event of an Offset Frontal Collision for new models from 1st October, 2017 and for all models from 1st October, 2019; AIS 096/2008 for requirements for behaviour of steering mechanism of the vehicle in a Head-on collision for new models from 1st October, 2017 and for all models from 1st October, 2019; AIS 099/2008 for approval of vehicles with regard to Protection of Occupants in the event of Lateral Collision for new models from 1st October, 2017 and for all models with effect from 1st October, 2019; and AIS100/2010 for approval of vehicles with regard to protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle for new models from 1st October, 2018 and for all models with effect from 1st October, 2020. For the purpose of BNCAP, the scope of the above mentioned safety requirements is proposed to be enhanced.

This Ministry has notified various measures in the form of rules/regulation for homologation of vehicles to certify the roadworthiness of the vehicle, fitness of vehicle, anti-lock braking system, fitment of speed limiting devices, fire alarm and protection system in type III buses of category M3 and school buses, etc.

This reply was given by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written statement to a starred question in Rajya Sabha.