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Bharat NCAP 2020 Introduces Vital Vulnerable Road-User Protection

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Tuesday, November 25th 2025 at 2:16 GMT by Business Today

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Bharat NCAP 2020: Why Inclusion of Vulnerable Road‑User Protection Is Significant

India’s road safety landscape has been in the throes of a transformational shift. For decades, the country’s transport policy focused primarily on vehicle safety—seat‑belts, airbags, and structural integrity. Yet every year, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) release stark figures that paint a grim picture: more than 150,000 deaths and 1.3 million injuries on Indian roads, with a substantial share of these tragedies involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motorbike riders. Against this backdrop, the launch of the updated Bharat National Car‑Abatement Program (Bharat NCAP) in 2020, with a specific focus on vulnerable road‑user (VRU) protection, marked a watershed moment for India’s automotive safety ecosystem.

A Quick Primer on Bharat NCAP

Bharat NCAP, launched in 2014, is India’s indigenous safety rating agency modeled on international benchmarks such as the Euro NCAP and the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) of the United Kingdom. The program’s original emphasis was on vehicle‑to‑vehicle collision safety: frontal impact, side impact, and roll‑over tests. Each vehicle receives a star rating, with five stars denoting the highest safety performance. By the time 2020 rolled around, Bharat NCAP had already influenced manufacturers to integrate safety features such as airbags, ISO‑CONCET sensors, and reinforced B‑pillar structures.

The 2020 Revision: A New Dimension

The 2020 update to Bharat NCAP introduced a groundbreaking element: vulnerable‑road‑user protection. This module evaluates how well a vehicle protects pedestrians, cyclists, and other non‑motorised road users in the event of a collision. The inclusion was not merely an add‑on; it required a complete recalibration of testing protocols, the introduction of new metrics, and the engagement of a broader spectrum of stakeholders.

Key components of the VRU module include:

1. Pedestrian Protection Index (PPI) – Assesses the deformation of the vehicle’s front structure and the likelihood of head and torso impact on a pedestrian in a frontal collision.
2. Cyclist Safety Score (CSS) – Evaluates the risk posed by the vehicle’s bumper and windscreen to a cyclist, especially in low‑speed impacts typical in urban settings.
3. Child‑Seat Compatibility (CSC) – Checks how the design of the vehicle’s front seating area facilitates secure installation of child safety seats without compromising structural integrity.
4. Side‑Impact Vulnerability (SIV) – Measures how side‑impact forces translate to the protection of occupants and adjacent VRUs, especially in multi‑vehicle pile‑ups.

Why VRU Protection Matters in India

1. The Scale of Vulnerability

According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety 2022, India accounts for 21% of the global road traffic deaths. A large fraction of these fatalities are pedestrians (∼25%) and cyclists (∼8%). The Indian Traffic Police (ITP) reported that between 2020 and 2021, 44% of all road deaths involved a non‑motorised user. The high prevalence of motorbike riders and pedestrians in mixed traffic conditions amplifies the need for vehicle designs that mitigate risk to these users.

2. Policy Momentum and Legal Framework

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) recently proposed a Vulnerable Road‑User (VRU) Safety Standard that will be incorporated into the Indian Road Traffic Rules 2023. The proposed standards mandate that all new vehicles sold in India must meet a minimum VRU score, aligning domestic production with international best practices. Bharat NCAP’s VRU module acts as a de‑facto compliance mechanism, offering manufacturers a transparent rating system that correlates with potential regulatory approval.

3. Market Differentiation and Consumer Demand

While the bulk of Indian consumers historically prioritize price over safety, a new wave of “safety‑savvy” buyers is emerging—especially in urban middle‑income brackets. Brands that demonstrate high VRU ratings can command a premium. The 2020 Bharat NCAP ratings also influence insurance premium calculations by the IRDAI, where vehicles with lower VRU scores attract higher risk‑based rates. Thus, VRU protection directly affects the economics of vehicle ownership.

Comparative Insights: Bharat NCAP vs. Euro NCAP & IIHS

Euro NCAP has long included pedestrian protection as a core element of its rating system. In 2019, Euro NCAP released a “Pedestrian Safety” score that measures the severity of head, torso, and limb injuries to a pedestrian in a frontal impact. Bharat NCAP’s 2020 module draws heavily from Euro NCAP’s methodology but adapts the test rigs and impact velocities to reflect Indian traffic speeds (average 30 km/h in congested areas). This localization is crucial, because a 5 km/h reduction in impact speed can significantly alter injury outcomes for pedestrians.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States introduced the Side‑Impact Rating for the Light‑Vehicle–Crash‑Safety program in 2016, emphasizing side‑impact protection for occupants. Bharat NCAP’s Side‑Impact Vulnerability (SIV) module borrows from IIHS’s side‑impact test but modifies the load paths to consider the presence of a cyclist or pedestrian on the curb. These cross‑benchmarking efforts help Indian manufacturers gauge their competitive standing against global players.

What the VRU Module Means for Indian Manufacturers

The 2020 Bharat NCAP update created a clear path for Indian automakers to design vehicles that are safer for everyone on the road. Key take‑aways include:

• Front‑End Design Reforms: Reinforced B‑pillar frames, energy‑absorbing front panels, and modular bumpers designed to reduce the kinetic transfer to pedestrians.
• Advanced Driver‑Assistance Systems (ADAS): Inclusion of automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems capable of detecting pedestrians at low speeds, a feature that now correlates with improved VRU scores.
• Interior Ergonomics for Child Seats: Standardised anchor points (ISO 13266‑2) and load‑bearing tests for child seat compatibility.
• Testing Transparency: Detailed test reports, simulation data, and crash videos released publicly, enabling consumer advocacy groups and safety NGOs to scrutinise vehicle performance.

Case in Point: In the 2020 evaluation, Hyundai’s “Avanza”—the first Indian model to receive a 4‑star VRU rating—benefited from a redesign of its front bumper that incorporated a crush‑zone panel, reducing the projected head impact force by 27%. The brand leveraged this rating in its marketing campaign, which saw a 12% rise in test‑drive enquiries.

Future Directions and Challenges

While the 2020 VRU module has laid the foundation, several challenges persist:

1. Consistent Enforcement: The transition from voluntary rating to mandatory regulatory compliance is still underway. Many manufacturers may opt for “minimum compliance” solutions rather than true innovation.
2. Data Gaps: Real‑world crash data involving VRUs in India remain limited. Enhanced data collection via telematics and the Indian government’s “Traffic Fatality Database” would refine test protocols.
3. Public Awareness: Educating consumers about VRU scores is essential. Partnerships with NGOs, school safety programmes, and media campaigns can bridge this gap.
4. Standardisation of Lower‑End Vehicles: Micro‑vans and 3‑wheelers—popular in tier‑2 and tier‑3 cities—are not yet fully covered by the VRU module, even though they are frequent victims of road fatalities.

Conclusion

The 2020 Bharat NCAP update’s incorporation of vulnerable road‑user protection is more than a technical tweak; it reflects a paradigm shift in India’s approach to road safety. By mandating that vehicles be evaluated not just for the safety of their occupants but also for pedestrians, cyclists, and child passengers, the program acknowledges the interconnected reality of India’s traffic ecosystem. It aligns Indian automotive safety standards with global best practices, catalyzes market differentiation, and lays a clear roadmap for regulators to enforce stricter safety norms.

Ultimately, every star in the Bharat NCAP rating now tells a story about how a vehicle will behave in the chaotic, real‑world context of India’s streets. As India continues to grow its automotive sector, the stakes of protecting the most vulnerable among us remain high—and the 2020 VRU module provides a powerful tool to meet those stakes head‑on.