2025 Gobar Gradings to debut on 15 December

Many new Indian passenger cars have seat belt reminders for their rear seats, but they vastly vary in their behaviour.

Intelligent rear seat belt reminders (RSBRs) detect occupants by weight, but many automakers tend to cut corners and rely on heuristics like change of belt status instead, if at all. What's more, such suboptimal behaviour will be allowed, not only by upcoming MoRTH legislation due in April (see 2.2.4.2), but also by Global NCAP #SAFERCARSFORINDIA consumer tests (see 3.3.3). BNCAP, meanwhile, does not evaluate seat belt reminders.

So that consumers do not have to take rear seat belt reminders at face value, Gobar NCRAP will soon be evaluating their behaviour and awarding cars a letter grade A, B, C or D in the 2025 Gobar Gradings.

The first release is scheduled as follows:

WHAT: publication of the first 2025 Gobar Gradings

WHEN: 15 December 2024 at 10:00 AM IST

WHERE: online and via social media

WHICH: six C-segment cars

The 2025 evaluation criteria are available at the link below, but check the About section of the website for any updates.

2025 EVALUATION CRITERIA