NEW DELHI: India will get seven fully operational vehicle testing facilities, including crash testing labs, by the next year to rate cars on their passenger safety features and fuel efficiency, allowing buyers to get an idea through star ratings.The seven facilities to be built at a cost of Rs 3,700 crore are coming up in Manesar, Bengaluru, Rai Bareli, Silchar, Indore, Pune and Chennai. “Cars tested at these centres would be given star rankings just like it’s done for electronic appliances.The parameters would be vehicular safety and fuel efficiency,” a senior government official said. The ministry of road transport and highways is making the frontal and side car crash tests mandatory for cars by October 2017 for new models and 2019 for current models. From next year, all new models will be launched with star ratings.Cars tested at these world-class testing facilities will be given star ratings based on their passenger and pedestrian safety features. The vehicle testing centres are being set up by National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP).The government is also setting up Bharat National Car Assessment Programme (B-NCAP) on the lines of Global National Car Assessment Programme to have safer cars for India by making the European car safety features mandatory in India. A car would get a five star rating only if it has airbags, anti-lock braking (ABS) and speed-warning systems as standard equipment.India is making star ratings mandatory for cars based on fuel efficiency parameters as well. Cars with maximum fuel efficiency would come with a five star tag. Once the government notifies the rules, all car makers will have to prominently display their star ratings. The expected date of compliance of these norms is said to be April 2017."A formula for giving the rating is being worked out on the basis of quantity of fuel consumed by a car over a distance of 100 kilometre. Vehicle manufactures will have to comply with energy consumption standards under the provisions of Energy Conservation Act," the official added.