NCAPs Strip Indian Cars To Their Actual Standards; Maruti Swift & Datsun GO This Time

It is not just typical Indian students, like me, are scared of "TESTs". Even Indian cars don't like them either! Almost every car that is archetypal to our domestic market flunk in their crash tests, thanks to the Global NCAP reports time to time. Few months back we came to know that our popular hatches like Alto 800, Nano, i10 and VW Polo failed to pass the crash tests. And the latest to fall flat to crash safety tests are our "national-diesel-hatch" Maruti Suzuki Swift and the new "middle-class mover" Datsun GO. 

For those who are clueless on what's happening with these NCAPs, let me explain. A NCAP (New Car Assesment Program) is a car safety program, either by a government or any agency, that is tasked with evaluating cars as per global car standards of automotive safety. This is a sort of an outcome out of global awareness gaining towards consumer protection, road safety and overall public safety, since road accidents amount to notable global deaths, and road accidents are serious public concerns. While Global NCAP is a UK-based organisation that aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. It is a member of the UN Road Safety Collaboration and supports the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

VW Polo: A huge blow to the so-called "German Reliability"

In the month of January this year, the Global NCAP report of first ever independent crash tests on some of India’s best-selling cars – the MS Alto 800, Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10, and the VW Polo - came as a big blow to major small car automakers. As a standard procedure, entry-level versions of all those cars were subjected to the UN's basic safety test (40 percent offset at 56kph) and the Global NCAP test (40 percent offset at 64kph). That was a kind of 'landmine', since none of our small cars (hatches) get airbags (or for that matter any exclusive safety feature) as a standard fitment across all trims; we have the most annoying thing - Option Packaging - as a market strategy by every automakers.

Only Ford Figo could narrowly pass the basic UN test despite not having airbags, while all others of the cars tested failed including the so-called "German reliability" icon Volkswagen hatch. This was a terrible embarrassment for the brand, and VW was quick enough to make airbags standard even at the base trim. Polo with two front airbags, however, scored four stars for adult safety at the Global NCAP test, while all other failed in that obviously.

The latest test by Global NCAP involving Maruti Suzuki Swift (Lxi) and Datsun GO is even more revealing of the actual standards of cars on our roads. Both the cars were subjected to Global NCAP test (40 percent offset at 64kph). The GO was rated with zero stars for adult protection and just two stars for child occupant protection. It was observed that the vehicle structure was unstable and collapsed, making it redundant for airbags (if offered) to achieve expected protection. While the Swift was rated with zero and just one star for adult and child protection respectively, testers commented that the shell of the Swift also showed signs of collapsing and so rated as unstable. However, they added that fitting airbags will help improve protection. The Latin-American spec Swift (exported from India) with airbags fared a better 3/5 rating.

Global NCAP test (40 percent offset at 64kph crash) results

# N for Neutral

Global NCAP says that the levels of car safety in India are 20 years behind the five-star standards now common in Europe and North America. India being the fifth largest producer of passenger cars and an expanding consumer market, it is imperative for our country to bring out crash safety regulations and mandate global safety standards for automobiles. Though Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program under NaTRIP ( National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project) is on the card, we as customers do have a right to know how safe our vehicles are and to expect same levels of safety that buyers in other part of the world get as standard. That is, in fact, the objective of the Global NCAP - to create mass awareness among consumers and be an independent watchdog on passenger and road safety. What is really like is the sort of activism that the Global NCAP show, against all odds of powerful lobbies from the industry.

Datsun GO: Body structure unstable enough to make employment of airbags useless

What is even more appalling is the fact that the Swift sold in Europe has scored better safety ratings under similar tests, with more sturdier and stable vehicular structure, and Airbags. That's the case with the VW Polo too, which has got a top rating of five star safety from Australian NCAP. Isn't it right that the OEMs should always offer the same levels of passive safety on a particular model, no matter where it is sold, who buys it? The cost factor is a spoof argument, the reality is that the automakers want to make money out of lack of legal standards for cars in countries like India. Dear car makers, stop advertising henceforth that you or "German" or "Japanese" or whatever!

Also Read:  Datsun GO "Nayi Parampara" Ad Is A Hush Up To Car's Misfortunes!

Pictures Credit: GLOBAL NCAP

scored zero stars for adult occupant protection and just two stars for child occupant protection. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/un-crash-test-standards-would-make-cars-safer-in-india-says-global-ncap/#sthash.1Y9rBavL.dpuf

scored zero stars for adult occupant protection and just two stars for child occupant protection. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/un-crash-test-standards-would-make-cars-safer-in-india-says-global-ncap/#sthash.1Y9rBavL.dpuf

is a member of the UN Road Safety Collaboration and supports the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf

aims to support the development of new consumer crash test programmes in emerging markets where vehicle growth is strong but independent consumer information on crashworthiness is frequently not readily available. - See more at: http://www.globalncap.org/about/#sthash.PlJ2qBkv.dpuf