Are you looking for a new, advanced car? If yes, then you will be glad to hear that the new-generation automobiles are much safer than the previous-generation models. Purchasing a car loaded with safety enhancements has become as important as taking car insurance these days. Just like how insurance protects you from financial mishaps, the addition of safety features in cars can protect you against fatal injuries and in some cases from collisions.
The Indian automotive industry is welcoming new technologies, and it continues to evolve as per the new standards. For Indian car buyers, safety features have become a paramount consideration when it comes to buying a new model. The increasing demand for the safest cars has led Indian automakers to integrate high-tech innovations in the new cars, from robust structural designs to intelligent collision avoidance systems, all aimed at reducing the risk of accidents.
In addition to raising the bar for safety regulations, this quest has sparked fierce rivalry among automakers to produce the safest driving experience possible. From manufacturing compact cars for bustling city streets to designing spacious sports utility vehicles aimed to conquer diverse terrains, the Indian market is filled with a diverse array of cars aimed to enhance the overall driving experience and provide safety. In this article, we will explore the top new cars launched in India that come with high safety ratings and essential safety features.
Importance of Safety Ratings in India
Over the last few years, the significance of safety ratings has grown significantly in India. Organizations like Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) and Global NCAP play a crucial role when it comes to evaluating and assessing vehicle safety. Through tests and simulations, the New Car Assessment Programs provide customers with information concerning the safety of a car before they can buy it.
1. Bharat NCAP
The Bharat New Car Assessment Program (Bharat NCAP) is an Indian car safety rating system. It evaluates cars that are sold in the country depending on their crash test performance and awards safety ratings in a bid to encourage buyers to make safer choices. The main initiative is to encourage the usage of safer cars in India while at the same time walking in step with the global safety standards.
As awareness of road safety and demand for safer vehicles is increasing rapidly, Bharat NCAP is playing an important role in shaping the future of the Indian automotive industry. Not only do the NCAP crash tests comply with programs of other countries, but they have also improved safety features in vehicles, making Indian roads safer for everyone.
How the Bharat NCAP Rating System Works
The safety of occupants in case a crash occurs has been assessed by Bharat NCAP in terms of star ratings, especially for both adults and children. The scale runs from one to five stars, which signifies that vehicles that have only the most basic safety systems and negligible protection from car crashes get one star. Cars rated at 2 stars have regular safety equipment and deliver better safety performance than 1-star-ranked cars.
A 3-star rating means good safety attributes and moderate protection in crashes. Cars that gain 4 stars are safe and possess state-of-the-art security attributes, and, in this respect, they offer maximum protection. The best, which is a 5-star rating, is given to the cars that come with good safety features and crash avoidance features. This rating system simplifies the evaluation of a vehicle's safety performance, helping buyers make informed decisions and encouraging manufacturers to develop safer cars for Indian roads.
2. Global NCAP
The Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP) is an international vehicle safety rating system designed to evaluate the safety performance of cars sold across different countries. It conducts a range of crash tests to assess how well a vehicle can protect its occupants and assigns a star-based rating system that helps consumers make better-informed decisions when purchasing cars. The rating system is designed to help consumers understand how well a car performs in a crash and how safe it is for occupants, particularly focusing on family-use scenarios.
Types of Tests in Global NCAP
Global NCAP conducts three main types of crash tests to evaluate vehicle safety:
- Front Offset Test: It exposes 40% of the front of the vehicle to a barrier at 64 km/h to test the protection of the front seat passenger.
- Side Impact Test: Determines the vehicle’s safety in a side impact test where the vehicle is struck by a barrier at a test speed of 50 Km/h.
- Pole Impact Test: The car is impacted sideways at 32 km/h with a rigid pole in order to evaluate the effectiveness of side airbags to eliminate head injuries.
In 2024, several new cars could attain the highest Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP ratings, which makes them reliable options for Indian families and individuals who prioritize safety.
The Impact of Safety Ratings on the Indian Automotive Industry:
The growing emphasis on safety ratings has had a profound effect on the Indian automotive sector.
- Innovation Drive: OEMs are willing to spend on new technologies to make cars safer; thus, there is a somewhat increased introduction of new safety technologies across various price points.
- Consumer Awareness: Indian car buyers are becoming more informed about safety features and ratings, influencing their purchasing decisions.
- Regulatory Changes: The government has introduced stricter safety norms, mandating features like ABS and airbags in all new vehicles.
- Market Competitiveness: Safety ratings have become a key differentiator in the highly competitive Indian car market, pushing brands to prioritize safety in their designs.
- Global Standards: Indian cars are increasingly meeting international safety standards, improving their export potential.
- Fewer Accidents: Safer vehicles can lead to a significant reduction in road accidents and fatalities.
Essential Safety Features to Look For
When evaluating the safety of new cars in 2024, several safety features are considered significant as they stand out as essential for ensuring occupant protection and accident prevention:
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS): ADAS are essential technologies that are specifically designed for driver assistance. Some such technologies are adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and autonomous emergency braking, all dedicated to improving safety by cutting down collision risks.
- Airbag Systems: Contemporary car models boast multiple airbags – there are front airbags and side ones, as well as curtain airbags – all of these options afford optimal safety during a crash.
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS): This feature prevents wheel lock-up during hard braking, maintains steering control, and reduces stopping distances.
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC): ESC assists in maintaining control whenever a vehicle threatens to lose traction or slide on any surface, especially during a sudden avoidance or in areas with poor road friction.
- ISOFIX Child Seat Anchors: These standardized attachment points ensure the proper installation of child safety seats, crucial for protecting younger passengers.
- Pedestrian Protection: For instance, conveniences such as a unique hood and bumper system go a long way in reducing impact in the unfortunate case of an accident.
- Traction Control: During acceleration, this system helps to avoid the spin of wheels, thus giving a better grip and balance.
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS): TPMS informs drivers about underinflated tires, which can affect handling and fuel efficiency.
Top New Cars in India with Essential Safety Features
The year 2024 has been witnessing the production of a number of new cars accompanied by advanced features, new designs, technology, and performance. Indian OEMs are now focusing on manufacturing more new cars that emphasize high safety standards and the well-being of passengers.
The top safest cars in 2024 represent a comprehensive and insightful exploration into the pinnacle of automotive safety achievements. In this list, we delve into the cars that have boasted engineering innovation with the best safety features to give occupants a safety chamber within their vehicle.
1. Tata Harrier
The Tata Harrier SUV stands out not only for its robust build quality but also for its safety features. In the latest Global NCAP crash tests, the Harrier scored a 5-star rating in both Adult and Child Occupant Protection, surpassing Global NCAP Standards, thereby setting another benchmark.
The updated version of the Tata Harrier has also garnered a full 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP safety tests in 2024. For adult occupant protection, the car was rated 30.08 out of 32.00, and for child occupant protection, it received 44.54 out of 49.00. These outstanding scores demonstrate Tata Motors’ desire to offer a safer automobile to its customers and, as a result, enhance the Harrier SUV’s positioning for families as an appropriate vehicle for disparate road conditions.
Tata Motors offers the Harrier SUV with a range of advanced amenities incorporating dual front airbags, belt pretensioners, side head curtain airbags, ISOFIX mounts on the rear seats, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), pedestrian protection systems, and Seat Belt Reminders (SBR), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Hill Hold Assist, and Panic Brake Alert.
2. BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series has many qualities and a stunning look. This BMW luxury offering especially caters to the safety of passengers through safety accommodations. The Germany-based luxury car maker BMW recently launched the eighth-generation BMW 5 Series LWB in the domestic market at a starting price of INR 72.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
The BMW 5 Series has always received good safety ratings in crash tests, proving that it is a safe car for its occupants and a good representative of the premium sedan market. The BMW 5 Series has BMW Intelligent Safety, which encompasses useful features like Forward Collision Warning and Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, and Cross-traffic Alert. The luxury car is specially built with a stiff frame, and it contains plenty of hi-tech features.
The luxury car boasts a rigid chassis and consists of numerous superior components. It has been tuned and structured with the idea of neutralizing and distributing crash forces appropriately. Other features that support BMW’s traditional bumper-to-bumper approach to safety are in the optional Driving Assistance Professional Package; this advances the capability of instinctive driving functions to incorporate domains for far-off control, enhancing accident insurance.
3. Tata Curvv ICE and EV
Tata Motors, India’s leading SUV manufacturer, recently rolled out the Curvv coupe SUV and Curvv EV in the country. Both the all-electric Curvv and ICE-powered versions were tested by the Bharat NCAP, with both getting 5-star ratings for child safety and adult protection. The Tata Curvv ICE received 29.50 out of 32 in the adult occupant protection crash test, while the Curvv EV got 30.81 points out of 32 in the adult occupant protection.
On the safety front, the auto giant offers the Tata Curvv ICE with a range of safety amenities such as TPMS, a 360-degree camera, electronic stability control, all disc brakes, an electronic parking brake, and Level 2 ADAS. On the contrary, the Tata Curvv EV is packed with six airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, hill hold control, three-point seat belts for all passengers, blind spot detection, Level 2 ADAS, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
4. Volkswagen Virtus
In line with the current demand, Volkswagen India declared recently that it would provide six airbags across the Virtus model range. This business decision aligns with the recent action of the government to increase the safety standard of Indian automobiles. The Volkswagen Virtus car has been derived from the brand’s MQB-A0-IN architecture.
The Virtus sedan that has just been launched has come out of the Global NCAP crash tests with flying colors, having earned it a five-star safety rating for both child and adult occupants. The strength of the model's body shells also really helped, as the body shells themselves were strong enough to endure much heavier loads during the crash tests.
For passenger safety, the Volkswagen Virtus sedan comes equipped with a seatbelt reminder system, six airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), load limiters, multi-collision brakes, and rear parking sensors.
5. Skoda Kushaq
Skoda Auto India recently said in a statement that safety has always been paramount and intrinsic to the brand’s DNA. The Skoda Kushaq has already scored a five-star safety rating in the Global NCAP crash test. The brand was the first automobile company to score a full five-star rating in the Global NCAP tests for adults and children. Skoda always offered frontal airbags in its base variants, while six airbags were offered in higher variants. As part of its MY24 updates, Skoda India announced that it is now offering the Kushaq variants with six airbags.
After the new addition, the costs of the MY2024 Kushaq range between INR 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and go up to INR 19.79 lakh (ex-showroom). The Skoda Kushaq is packed with a range of advanced safety features, including ISOFIX child seat mounting points, hill-hold control, six airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, multi-collision brake technology, a rear-view camera, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), rear parking sensors, and more.
Why High Safety Ratings Matter
The current consumer demand for safety features in vehicles is increasing with each passing day, especially for cars that have received high Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP ratings. A higher safety figure implies that an automobile is manufactured with a good number of safety features that are adequate to safeguard its occupants. In other words, the greater the safety level, the smaller the probability of an accident occurrence and the scale of possible injuries.
The ratings are developed from crash test results such as frontal and side-impact, intelligent pedestrian detection, and others. Cars that perform well in these evaluations are proven to be reliable in terms of accident prevention and risk management. Furthermore, high ratings in safety appear to make the driving experience better for the consumer and increase confidence in the brand and the model.
Of course, this can make your traveling experience much more untroubled, and instead of worrying about how safe the car that you have bought is, you have the freedom to shift focus and enjoy your drive.
Conclusion
Currently, the landscape of automotive safety in India is quite dynamic, and 2024 is the defining year for safe automobiles packed with advanced features. As consumers become more safety-conscious and regulations tighten, manufacturers are focusing on producing new cars that exceed safety expectations.
While making their car purchases in 2024, Indian consumers should prioritize cars that have considerate safety ratings, along with regular features, enhanced performance, comfort, and style. When car buyers consider models with high safety ratings and protective technologies intersecting with the road, they guarantee security for both themselves and their families.
The road to safer mobility in India is underway, and the cars of 2024 are poised to set new standards in occupant protection and accident prevention. As the industry continues to innovate and improve, we can look forward to a future where every journey is safer, more secure, and ultimately more enjoyable for all road users.
