Govt issues notification for 'Bharat New Car Assessment Programme'

As per the notification dated 24th June 2022, Bharat New Car Assessment Programme rating will provide consumers with an indication of the level of protection offered to occupants by evaluating the vehicle in the areas of (a) Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) (b) Child Occupant Protection (COP) and (c) Safety Assist Technologies (SAT).

The vehicle shall be assigned a star rating from one to five stars, based on scoring against various tests undertaken as per the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.

With the issuance of the notification, the government has inserted a new rule 126E in CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules), 1989 regarding the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP), the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said in a statement on Saturday.

The new rule is applicable on Type Approved motor vehicles of category M1 [motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising eight seats, in addition to driver's seat] with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 Tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country, in accordance with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197, as amended from time to time.

"The standard is aligned with global benchmarks: it is beyond minimum regulatory requirements," the ministry said.

The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme introduces the concept of the safety rating of passenger cars and empowers consumers to make informed decisions. It will promote export worthiness of the cars produced by OEMs in the country and increase the domestic customer's confidence in these vehicles. Additionally, the programme will encourage manufacturers to provide advanced safety technologies to earn higher ratings, the ministry said.

The testing of vehicles for this programme will be carried out at the Testing Agencies, with the necessary infrastructure, referred to in Rule 126 of CMVR 1989.

The government has set 1st April 2023 as the date of applicability for the new programme. (ANI)