Before discussing this, let’s see what are Structural Integrity of a vehicle ?
The structural integrity of a vehicle is the ability of a bodyshell of the vehicle to withstand its intended loading without failing due to deformation, or a crash. Therefore, the safety and performance of vehicle structures and associated materials should be considered in order to fulfill all aspects of structural integrity.
The National Safety Council (NSC) reported that in the year 2020, “an estimated 38,800 people lost their lives due to car crashes.
Whereas, the Global NCAP says that the cars sold in India are not safe and are not up to the mark in terms of safety level, whether it’s an affordable hatchback or an SUV.
Which is the strongest body structure in a car?
Use of High Strength Steel with More Layers Including Stiffer Structure, Frame Design, equipped with Good Layers of Door Side Beam Protection makes the Car Stronger and that’s what is required to done from Car Manufacturer to offer Safety, and yes passes on Indian safety norms.
What makes a Car safe ?
1. Strong Sturdy Build – How well is the car body shell designed in terms of high tensile steel to absorb the impact. The structural build and integrity of a vehicle is always the first safety feature to be considered. In the event of a crash, this is expected to absorb and dissipate the crash energy.
2. Minimum 2 safety airbags along with ABS, EBD, Vehicle stability control are recommended.
3. Driving Behavior – Speed thrills but Kills.
Being a typical Indian, most of the people will confront the above points by saying that car safety depends upon how they drive or control the car.
Now the most important question, Are the features more important rather than the safety ratings of a car in India?
For many Indians customers, the looks, features, and fuel consumption of a car have always been important criteria before buying a new car. But do you know that the safety of the car is also extremely important?
There are some highlights below which actually prove that unsafe cars are still considered by Indian Customers.
Mahindra Scorpio– Most demanding SUV, with 0-star safety ratings. Although It is to be noted that the tested variant of Scorpio didn’t have an airbag, the current generation has 2 airbags.
Maruti Suzuki Eco– Maruti’s people carrier, the Eeco has been one of the worst performers in the Global NCAP tests consistently. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco scored zero stars in the NCAP crash tests.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio– Celerio’s variant with no airbag scored zero stars in the adult occupancy protection category and one star in the child occupant category
Renault Kwid– The Kwid has been one of the most popular cars in the Indian market due to its practicality, affordability, and after-sales services. Although, when it comes to safety, the car doesn’t impress a lot.
Datsun Go– The Datsun Go’s no airbags variant scored a zero star rating in the NCAP Global Safety Ratings. The car offered poor protection for the driver’s head due to hard and instant contact with the steering wheel.
Renault Duster– In the tests conducted, the Renault Duster got zero stars in the no airbags variant.
Global NCAP with its #SAFERCARSFORINDIA campaign aims at urging Indian carmakers to build cars that are safe and durable as well.