NCAP asks Nissan to withdraw Datsun GO from India

This news is first of a kind for the Indian car market as global automobile safety body, New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) has asked Nissan to withdraw Datsun GO from the Indian market. This comes after the Datsun GO and the Maruti Suzuki Swift failed the crash test and managed to get zero safety rating.

NCAP says that the Datsun GO failed miserably in the crash test and its body needs to be redesigned. The car was tested for front collision along with Maruti Suzuki Swift, where the former performed far worse. The test concluded that the body shell of the Datsun GO was so weak that even adding airbags would not protect passengers in case of a major accident. On the other hand, Nissan India said, ”The GO meets required local vehicle regulations in India. The automotive regulation standards in fast-growing countries are constantly evolving and as a global manufacturer, we are willing to adapt as well.” 

"It is extremely disappointing that Nissan has authorised the launch of a brand new model that is so clearly sub-standard. As presently engineered, the car will certainly fail to pass the United Nations frontal impact regulation," said NCAP.

"In these circumstances, I would urge you to withdraw the Datsun GO from sale in India (and any other markets where it is being sold), pending a redesign of the car's body-shell to make it worthwhile to fit airbags," NCAP added.

However, this is easier said than done for our market. The road conditions here are different and so is the level of safety. But let’s also face the fact that Indian roads are one of the most dangerous roads in the world to drive on because of the lack of proper infrastructure and traffic sense.