The Centre is looking at making star ratings compulsory for vehicles based on their performance in crash tests. The requirement is likely to become part of regulations under Bharat NCAP (new car assessment programme).

The Centre has announced the Bharat NCAP safety rating on the back of the Carens from Kia Motors faring poorly at Global NCAP. Many made-in-India cars have been crash-tested by Global NCAP in the last few years under their “SaferCarsForIndia” initiative.

The latest car added to this list was the Carens which has scored an overall 3-star rating. The Hyundai Creta and the i20 have received a similar 3-star rating from Global NCAP in recent months.

Global NCAP has conducted 54 safety tests of cars sold and manufactured in India

The most basic specifications of Kia Carens, a seven-seater MPV, was tested: the model had six airbags, electronic stability control, seatbelt pre-tensioners, anti-lock braking system, all-wheel disc brakes, brake assist system and tyre pressure monitoring system as the standard fitment.

Inspite of these features, the car got a three-star rating thus raising the question of the efficacy of government regulation of having six airbags as mandatory in cars, said an industry source.

Kia’s cars in other major markets received a five-star rating, he added.

Discussions are underway with industry stakeholders to encourage and ensure vehicles sold in the local market do not have diluted safety standards, said the source.

“Our regulations are evolving. We are studying Global-NCAP models in the US, Europe, Korea, and are engaging with manufacturers before notifying the norms,” he said.

The minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari approved a draft notification to introduce Bharat NCAP.

As per the updated table for Global NCAP safety ratings of Indian cars for June 2022, Mahindra XUV700 leads the chart on the basis of an overall number of points scored. The midsize SUV has scored a total of 57.69 points out of 66.

It is trailed by Tata Punch, Mahindra XUV300 and Thar with 57.34 points, 53.86 points and 53.63 points respectively.

The latest entrant Kia Carens finds itself in 15th place with a total score of 40.29 out of 66.