Tata Nexon and Curvv duo gets 5-star rating in the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) crash tests. The compact SUV secured 5 stars in both categories of adult and child occupant protection for the petrol- and diesel-powered versions. The electric Nexon, had secured a 5-star rating in the month of May.
The crash testing was done on the Diesel AMT model. But as per the standard practices of new car assessment programs, weight calculations and allowances are made for other variants, and thus, BNCAP rating has been awarded to all other variants. The Nexon secured 29.41 out of a maximum score of 32 for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), with the crash-test dummies showing a good or adequate rating for all measured areas of the body. For Child Occupant Protection (COP), the Nexon scored 43.83 points. These points are only marginally below the EV scores of Nexon of 29.86 for Adult Occupant Protection and 44.95 for crash-test dummies.
Under the ‘Safer Cars for India’ test program, the GNCAP has successfully tested 50 cars from India, with the Tata Harrier and Safari being the first cars to be tested. Both secured a 5-star rating. The BNCAP protocol is modelled very closely on the GNCAP protocol. The only difference between the two is that under GNCAP, the maximum AOP score is 34 points, whereas under BNCAP, it’s 32 points. This is because both protocols award 16 points each for front and side impact, but GNCAP awards two extra points for the presence of seat belt reminders – half a point for each of the front seats and one point for the second row.
In the past crash tests included popular models such as Tata Altroz, Tata Tiago, and Mahindra XUV 700. These cars have received a five-star safety rating for adults in the testing. It was earlier thought that foreign brands would dominate, but made-in-India cars have taken the lead and continue to work diligently towards building safer cars. It is good that the Indian automotive industry is embracing this initiative.
A dedicated Bharat New Vehicle Assessment Program (BNCAP) had faced some challenges before its launch. Looking ahead, Global New Vehicle Assessment Program (GNCAP) aims to establish a testing centre within the Indian subcontinent. This will further reinforce vehicle safety testing and evaluation in India. This move is aimed at ensuring that consumers have access to all information about the safety standards of cars.
