Bharat NCAP 2.0 Incoming : Bharat NCAP 2.0’s development is now underway at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) which is an autonomous research institute. The confirmation has come from Ujjwala Karle, deputy director and head of ARAI’s Technology Group. “We are also reaching towards creating this new version [of Bharat NCAP] and we are already working towards it,” Karle said while talking
at the second edition of the ADAS Show in Bengaluru.The main hurdle is to modify these features according to Indian use cases: ARAI officialAmong companies that offer cheaper versions of cars equipped with ADAS, are Hyundai, Tata, Honda and MahindraWhat it means to test ADAS under Bharat NCAP 2.0The second evolution of India’s automotive safety evaluation
program, the Bharat NCAP 2.0 will expand its testing capabilities to include Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), as these features become increasingly prevalent in the latest models. Brands like Hyundai, Kia, MG, Tata Motors, Honda and Mahindra now include some of the most pocket-friendly of these vehicles on sale with certain advanced assistance tech, and this list is likely to increase over time.
ADAS refers to a broad range of intelligent vehicle capabilities that help the driver, such as lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and more. In India, ADAS features are offered up to Level 2 autonomy. But the challenge in the context of India, according to Karle, is the “adaptation of the features” for Indian use cases. “We don’t want these systems to go exist just because they are available, and ultimately turned off when the systems are needed.” They should rather be localized to Indian driving conditions and user expectations,” she added.
What is Bharat NCAP?
Developed by ARAI and implemented in April 2023, the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is based on Global NCAP protocols and assesses the crash-test performance of passenger vehicles. The initiative will also augment export viability of cars made by Indian automakers. Bharat NCAP has tested 14 cars so far, which includes the Skoda Kylaq, Mahindra XUV 9e, Mahindra BE 6, Hyundai Tucson and Citroen Basalt.