A global organization for car safety testing, Global New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) has asked Nissan to urgently withdraw Datsun Go model from India and related markets. Nissan’s Datsun Go failed to clear the collision test at the ADAC crash-testing facility in Landsberg, Germany and received a minimal rating of zero stars.
Datsun Go’s body shell is so unstable that it would be pointless to include ABS and airbags in the car.Datsun Go is not the first car to receive a zero star rating in NCAP’s crash test. Made-in-India Maruti Suzuki Swift also received a zero star safety rating from NCAP, while the made in Hungary model scored a full 5 stars. In January-2014, NCAP also gave Tata Nano, Maruti Alto 800, Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo and Hyundai i10 a zero-star adult protection rating. But this is for the first time that the rating agency has recommended a manufacturer to discontinue the model completely due to zero star safety score.
Crash test dummies saw high forces placed on them, giving reason to believe grave risk of death or serious injury. Datsun Go small car body shell’s unstable finding deems it pointless to include ABS and airbags in the car, which means even adding safety features would not have a safe effect. However, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) came out in defence of Maruti Suzuki and Nissan and said car makers in India meet the country’s safety norms.
According to a report on the website of Global NCAP, Max Mosley, Global NCAP chairman has said –
“It is extremely disappointing that Nissan has authorized the launch of a brand new model that is so clearly sub-standard. As presently engineered the Datsun Go will certainly fail to pass the United Nation’s frontal impact regulation. In these circumstances I would urge Nissan to withdraw the Datsun Go from sale in India pending an urgent redesign of the car’s body-shell.”
“Applying the UN’s minimum crash test standards to all passenger car production worldwide is a key recommendation of the Global Plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, he says, adding, “Given Carlos Ghosn’s responsibilities as chairman and CEO of Nissan and president of the European Car Manufacturers Association, he should now demonstrate leadership both in Nissan and on behalf of the vehicle industry generally that corresponds to the UN’s legitimate expectation that automobile safety should be improved during the Decade of Action.”
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Also see – Indian automakers to receive crash test norms soon
Source – Global NCAP
