Government planning to introduce real-world emission tests by 2020

Along with the cleaner BS-VI norms in 2020, the road and transport ministry of India is mulling to introduce real-world emission tests for vehicles sold in the country. 

Car manufacturers in India will soon have tough time if their products’ real-world emission figures do not match the claimed figures. The road and transport ministry of the country is planning to introduce real world emission tests in view of Volkswagen’s infamous diesel emissions debacle.

Under the new proposal, at least 50 per cent of the samples used for testing will be picked directly from the dealers. By checking the cars delivered to dealers, before subsequently being handed over to consumers, the government will be validating if the ‘final’ lot of vehicles comply with certified emission specifications. The process of doing so is called conformity of production (COP).

Starting April 2020, BS-VI emission standards will be put in place. Around the same time, the government wants to introduce real world tests for cars. Presently, India does not have any provision for on-road emission tests – all the tests are laboratory-based. Also, this was one of the major reasons as to why Indian government could not take any strict action against Volkswagen Group post the diesel emissions scandal.

All told, this is not going to be an entirely new practice, though. Before 2014, the government, in partnership with testing agencies, used to source vehicles from factories for tests. In 2014, the policy was revamped, wherein the ministry mandated the testing agencies to lift at least 25 per cent of the new vehicles from dealers. The future plan for 2020 proposes to double up this figure to 50 per cent.