Indian cars face Global NCAP crash tests again

At an international webinar 'Towards a Safer India', hosted by sister publication Autocar Professional today, Alejandro Furas, technical director, Global New Car Assessment Programme stated, "Within two weeks, we will come out with the test results." He did not reveal much about the tests, but another industry source informed that seven cars from India have been tested. The results will be announced on May 17.

The latest test is the third in the series of tests Global NCAP had carried out on cars under its ‘Safer Cars for India’ campaign. This does not include the voluntary test of the Toyota Etios, which received a four-star rating for adult occupant protection (for passenger in front seat) and two-star rating for child occupant protection.

In January 2014, Global NCAP published crash test results for five of India's best-known cars: the Suzuki Maruti Alto 800, the Hyundai i10, the Ford Figo, the Volkswagen Polo and the Tata Nano. All the cars received zero-star adult protection ratings.

Volkswagen immediately decided to offer the Polo for sale in India with two airbags as standard. This model then received a four-star safety rating. In November 2014, Global NCAP published crash test results for Nissan's Datsun Go and the Suzuki Maruti Swift. Both cars received zero-star adult protection ratings. Since the test of the Go, Datsun has made structural changes and also offered driver's side airbag as an option.