New Delhi, Nov. 23 -- New car models could in future be assessed on how well they protect pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, according to a draft vehicle safety protocol released by the Centre on Friday, marking a shift from evaluating only occupant protection that is at the heart of the safety star rating mechanism. The proposed Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) 2.0 assigns a 20% weightage to vulnerable road user (VRU) protection in the overall vehicle safety rating for new passenger vehicles in the M1 category. The move comes as pedestrians and two-wheeler users continue to bear the brunt of road crashes-accounting for 20% and 45% respectively of all road crash deaths across India in 2023, according to the latest figures released by the union ministry of road transport and highways earlier this year. Under the draft, the VRU vertical will require new car models to undergo rigorous assessments including leg-form impact tests at the bumper and adult and child head-form impacts against the engine bonnet and windscreen areas. In other words, this will assess whether the front design of a car-from bumper height and stiffness to bonnet construction-can absorb impact energy and minimise injuries when it strikes a pedestrian. Similar pedestrian protection standards have been part of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) for years, with tests promoting energy-absorbing structures, deformation clearance, and deployable protection systems such as pop-up bonnets and external airbags. The European rules, in fact, are why some experts say the Tesla Cybertruck, an SUV with a stainless steel construction with sharp lines and a high bonnet, has not been certified for sake in Europe. The proposed Indian test methodology also includes an optional evaluation of Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) capable of detecting and intervening in scenarios involving pedestrian and motorcyclist collisions. The draft mandates that the five broad assessment areas carry the following weightage: crash protection (55%), vulnerable road-user protection (20%), safe driving features (10%), crash avoidance (10%), and post-crash safety (5%). By assigning the highest weightage to crash protection and the second-highest to VRU protection, the new protocol ensures vehicles receiving high star ratings must excel in both protecting occupants during a collision and reducing the severity and probability of harm to unprotected road users. For manufacturers and consumers alike, this marks a departure from Bharat NCAP 1.0, which has been in effect since October 2023 and remains valid until September 2027. The earlier version focused primarily on passive crash protection, assessing vehicles on Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP), and Safety Assist Technologies (SAT). Star ratings were awarded separately based on vehicle performance in crash tests-accumulating up to 32 points for AOP and 49 points for COP-with no weightage breakdown on other aspects. By contrast, the draft for Bharat NCAP 2.0 adopts what it terms a "safe systems approach", pushing for vehicle design and performance to account for the broader road ecosystem. The protocol is open for stakeholder comments until 20 December 2025 and will be valid for a four-year period once finalised. Commenting on the new assessment programme, Bhargab Maitra, professor of civil engineering at IIT Kharagpur and member of road safety network, called it a "very positive and meaningful development which clearly reflects the priority on the safety of vulnerable road users on part of the government". "Although India is upgrading its road infrastructure at an unprecedented rate, there are ample opportunities to augment the VRU infrastructure and facilities," he said....