Some of the popular small cars, including Maruti Alto 800, Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10, have failed the crash tests, done by global New Car Assessment Programme (Ncap), showcasing a high risk of life-threatening injuries in road accidents.
As per the tests done by Global Ncap, an independent charity based in UK focused on consumer-orientated vehicle safety initiatives, these cars received zero for adult protection ratings in a frontal impact at 64km/hr. The combined sales of these five cars account for around 20% of all the new cars sold in India last year.
Indian automakers maintain that the cars meet the required safety regulations in India. “Safety is of paramount importance to Tata Motors. All our vehicles, including the Tata Nano, meets all Indian safety regulations, including the frontal barrier crash test at 48 kmph, as mandated by the government. All our cars on Indian roads, including Nano, are engineered for safety in view of Indian road and traffic conditions,” said Tim Leverton, head – advanced and product engineering, engineering research centre, Tata Motors.
Similarly, the second largest car manufacturer in the country, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Hyundai Motor India affirms that Hyundai vehicles are designed and build to meet all the prescribed safety standards set by Indian Regulatory Authorities.”
Maruti Suzuki, the biggest car manufacturer of the highest selling car – Alto 800, refused to comment.
India is one of the biggest markets for small cars globally and is gradually becoming a hub for production of entry-level cars. The upcoming Auto Expo will witness the launch of more cars in this segment from manufacturers like Nissan and Maruti Suzuki.
Global Ncap chairman Max Mosley said, “Poor structural integrity and the absence of airbags are putting the lives of Indian consumers at risk. India is now a major global market and production centre for small cars, so it’s worrying to see levels of safety that are 20 years behind the five-star standards now common in Europe and North.”
In the Indian tests, only the Volkswagon Polo’s 2014 model had air bags, which were added after the earlier model failed the crash test.
According to experts, this should be an eye-opener for the manufacturers and the Indian government for introducing more stringent safety norms. Most of the above-mentioned cars are sold in international markets and findings like these may affect the brand value of India-made cars.
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