Comparison of Bharat NCAP Crash test scenarios with real road accidents in India

This study is conducted to analyse the significance of BNCAP crash test protocol in the real road accidents in India. Accident data from on-the-spot investigation (Road Accident Sampling System India) and Government of India’s, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways official road accident statistics 2023 is used together to understand the real road accidents in India. The current BNCAP crash test protocol is compared against the real road accidents and the frequency of the same in discussed in this paper. A seven-step calculation method is developed to analyse real accidents together with existing crash tests by using similar crash-characteristics like impact area, overlap and direction of force. This method makes the real accident comparable with the corresponding crash test by calculating the impact energy during the collision between the real accident and a collision under crash test conditions. Relevant parameters in real accidents that significantly influence the test scenario, such as the opposing vehicle mass or the resulting collision speed, are analysed in detail and compared with existing test conditions. The analysis shows that more than 26% of car collisions in India with seriously or fatally injured car occupants could be attributed to the current existing Bharat crash test scenarios. However, the study also shows that there is further potential to adapt the existing test protocol to real Indian accident conditions. In many real accidents, the actual load condition often exceeds the test conditions. This study also identifies accident situations that are not currently covered under the current BNCAP test scenarios, although the frequency of accidents suggests that they are relevant. The results can therefore inspire the adaptation of existing or the development of new test scenarios to further increase safety for car occupants.