The new Safari and Harrier SUVs from Tata Motors are the first to receive a 5-star rating from the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat-NCAP). This grade protects both adult and child occupants. Bharat NCAP crash tests become mandatory from December 15. Tata SUVs are also the first vehicles to be assessed in accordance with the new crash test certification.
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, made the announcement. He complimented Tata Motors on their achievement and praised Bharat-NCAP for being India's independent voice on vehicle safety.
"Bharat-NCAP is India's independent, atmanirbhar voice on vehicle safety," he stated. It is benchmarked against best-in-class worldwide standards, and the Bharat-NCAP vehicle rating system is intended to go beyond mandatory regulations to promote road safety and vehicle safety standards. I'm thrilled that the first vehicles to receive the highest possible 5-star rating are both from Tata Motors. I congratulate them on receiving this coveted accreditation with the highest possible ratings, and I thank them for continuing to build on their tradition of presenting the safest automobiles on Indian roads.”
The new Safari and Harrier are equipped with several safety features, including:
1. 7 airbags, with 6 as standard across all models
2. Standard Electronic Stability Control
3. 3-point seatbelts in all rows
4. Seat Belt Reminder for all passengers
5. Isofix tethers
6. Retractor, Pretensioner, Load Limiter (RPLL), and anchor pretensioner seat belts
7. Cabin structure reinforcement for improved crash performance and side pole impact protection.
Shailesh Chandra, MD of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., expressed his appreciation for the accreditation. "Bharat-NCAP is a significant step forward," he said, "because it provides customers with a credible, objective score to evaluate the safety aspects of various vehicles." Informed customers making sound judgements will contribute to the country's growing desire for safer vehicles.
“We recognise and appreciate the government's, regulatory agencies', and automobile industry's combined efforts in this goal. Safety is at the heart of our DNA at Tata Motors, and we are proud to receive this first Bharat-NCAP certification with an excellent 5-star rating for two of our cars. We remain dedicated and will continue to endeavor to improve overall vehicle safety."
The Safari and Harrier SUVs are built on the OMEGARC architecture, which evolved from Land Rover's famed D8 Platform. They also have the highest 5-star GNCAP rating. According to the firm, this achievement makes them the safest vehicles on Indian roads.