In the current Indian automobile market, the term “5-star safety rating” is on everyone’s lips. Whether buying a new car or upgrading from an old one, customers are now focusing not only on mileage and looks but also on safety. But have you ever wondered how a car gets this 5-star rating? What is the process of a crash test and what does it mean in real life? Let’s answer all these questions.
Crash tests are conducted to assess how much safety a car can provide to its occupants in the event of a road accident. Road accidents injure or kill millions of people every year. Thus, the assessment of a car’s strength, airbags, seat belts, and other safety features is done through crash tests.
Globally, agencies like NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) conduct these tests. In recent years, Bharat NCAP has been launched in India. In addition, European NCAP, Latin NCAP, and Global NCAP are also major organizations that test cars sold in various markets.
In a crash test, the car is crashed in different situations.
After the test, data is taken from the sensors attached to the dummies (devices like humans). This data indicates how much injury a person’s head, chest, legs, and spine might sustain. Based on this, the car is given a score.
* 0 to 1 star: Very less safe
* 2 to 3 stars: Average safety
* 4 stars: Good safety
* 5 stars: Highest level of safety
It is important to note that a 5-star safety rating does not mean 100% safe. It only indicates that the car provides better safety compared to other models. In real accidents, speed, and road conditions also matter a lot.
In India, thousands of people are involved in accidents every day. In such a situation, it is essential for customers to know that their car is strong not only in appearance but also in terms of safety. This is why the sales of cars like Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 increased rapidly after their 5-star rating.
Recently launched Maruti Victoris has received a 5-star rating in the Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash test. The starting price of Maruti Victoris is approximately 10.50 lakh rupees to 19.99 lakh rupees. It offers 6 airbags, Level-2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, and features like ABS and ESP as safety features.