Bharat NCAP Needs To Consider Indian Circumstances

The country’s largest automaker is concerned about new automotive safety requirements by Bharat NCAP that will go into effect by the end of the first quarter of 2024, specifically a six-airbag mandate, since the price rises would hinder first-time car customers.

With the introduction of the national government’s new Bharat New Vehicle Assessment Programme, or Bharat NCAP, India’s automakers are bracing for yet another obstacle.

With six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), pedestrian safety, and a three-point safety harness for all seats due to become necessary under Bharat NCAP in the near future, vehicle manufacturers are bracing for yet another price increase.

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest automobile manufacturer, is one of several corporations that have welcomed the move and has made multiple overtures toward it.

“Maruti Suzuki places a high value on safety.” That’s why, when it comes to our models, we not only meet but surpass expectations,” says Shashank Shrivastava, Senior Executive Director of Marketing & Sales.

This is especially true in the case of Maruti Suzuki’s recently released Brezza, which includes over 20 active and passive safety measures as optional extras.

“Maruti Suzuki places a great priority on safety,” says Shashank Shrivastava, Senior Executive Director of Marketing & Sales. “This is why, when it comes to our models, we not only meet but exceed expectations.”

This is especially true for Maruti Suzuki’s recently debuted Brezza, which comes standard with over 20 active and passive safety features.

The six-airbag rule

With the Bharat NCAP expected to go into force by the end of the first quarter of 2024, it appears that day isn’t far off. However, several features of Bharat NCAP appear to be unpopular with the automaker.

Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava recently remarked that the government should reconsider the necessary six airbag law, partly because the price rise may prevent potential first-time vehicle purchasers from purchasing an entry-level automobile – a particularly price-conscious category.

“I believe that, in general, six airbags are not mandatory anyplace in the globe,” says CV Raman, Maruti Suzuki’s Chief Technology Officer.

“As an industry, as the Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), we have been saying that there has to be a mechanism to inform customers about safety ratings,” he adds, suggesting that Bharat NCAP, like Global NCAP, be designed to better inform customers of the levels of safety provided by car manufacturers rather than as a regulatory measure.

Nonetheless, despite such near-unanimous support for Bharat NCAP, the truth remains that it will raise automobile prices, mostly harming the entry-level car market.

“Obviously, entry-level is a critical factor for India in terms of motorization.” We’re still at a fairly low 30 autos per 1,000 people, compared to several other nations who have far higher rates.

As a result, the motorisation level is visibly low. And progressing from two-wheelers to four-wheelers is a key stage in motorisation.

I believe we should take it into account as well. Being able to provide that to the consumer. And it’s reasonable to argue that this should be considered as well. And such discussions will take place with the administration.” Raman says

Parameters for testing

“We worked on BNVSAP earlier, and all of those points subsequently became rules.” And now, over the last year, we’ve been debating resurrecting those points and making them Bharat NCAP,” adds Raman, unknowingly exercising the policy-influencing might of the giant carmaker.

Regardless of Maruti Suzuki’s feelings on Global NCAP’s testing methodologies, the newly adopted draught Bharat NCAP policy is mainly based on Global NCAP’s own independent testing requirements.

This includes increasing the crash test speed from 56kph to 64kph, which might have resulted in a damning judgement of a car’s structural safety, among other things. And, if the conclusions of Global NCAP are to be believed, structural integrity is Maruti Suzuki’s Achilles Heel.

Except for the Brezza, none of the Maruti Suzuki vehicles evaluated by Global NCAP earned a “stable” rating for bodyshell integrity. Bestsellers such as the Suzuki Swift, Wagon R, and Ertiga all obtained a “unstable” grade when tested in 2018 and 2019.

Not about the product alone

However, the fine print appears to indicate, and rightly so, that the onus of ensuring safe transportation does not rest solely with an automobile manufacturer.

“At Maruti Suzuki, we think that it is about more than simply the product. It is also about the driver’s attitude and behaviour. We attempted to assist by providing Maruti Driving Schools.

We have 500 schools where we train drivers how to drive safely. And providing goods that go above and beyond statutory standards,” Shrivastava adds, adding that Bharat NCAP should ideally be based on India’s driving conditions.

“Governments do things like that.” “They regulate in accordance with the special needs of their nation,” he explains.

Following the regulations

“My own perspective is that if you’re in the automobile making space, you have to respect the laws,” Shrivastava adds, adding that behavioural as well as environmental factors should be considered when pointing fingers.

Both Shrivastava and Raman agree on one point: any programme or institution that helps educate customers about the quality or safety of automobiles is acceptable. It is debatable if it is a required form of certification.

Choice lies with the customer

The simple truth is that these features have been made available (as optional ones) because customers want them and are prepared to pay for them. And the final decision should be left to the buyer. The same is true for the first-time automobile buyer.

“First-time vehicle purchasers account for 48-50 percent of the auto market,” Shrivastava argues, emphasising the misery of the entry-level car buyer without explicitly declaring that equipment such as six airbags, ESC, and a particular crash safety certification should not be made necessary.