Low beam by default: Centre to tighten headlamp norms
The road transport ministry has proposed these changes, along with the mandatory provision for buses and other heavy vehicles to use genuine reflective tapes to improve visibility at night and in bad weather, through draft amendments to Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Amendments in automotive vehicle standards are being made because efforts to persuade drivers and make them aware of the need to use…
From April next year, automatic headlamps on new two-wheelers will only operate in low beam mode, while cars and other vehicles will emit less intense illumination to minimize glare. This follows draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules proposed by the road transport ministry. The changes aim to reduce visual discomfort for other road users and improve visibility at night and in adverse weather conditions, as efforts to encourage drivers to use low-beam mode have been unsuccessful.
The Automatic Headlamp On (AHO) system will automatically switch to low beam, while high-intensity headlamps will see their maximum permissible intensity reduced. For two-wheelers, the limit drops from 1.5 lakh to 1 lakh candela, and for four-wheelers (cars) from 2.25 lakh to 1.5 lakh candela. Additionally, the maximum permissible colour temperature for headlamps and front fog lamps will be limited to 6,500 Kelvin.
The mounting height of main-beam headlamps will also be standardized to match that of passing-beam headlamps. These measures aim to address a significant cause of night-time road crashes in India, where drivers using high-beam headlamps in urban areas can temporarily blind approaching motorists, compromising visibility and increasing the risk of accidents.
To further discourage unnecessary use of high-beam mode in city roads, the new-generation system will incorporate an audio alert. If a driver manually switches to high beam in urban settings, the vehicle will prompt them to return to low beam. However, the alert will not be triggered when drivers are traveling on highways at speeds above 60 kmph, as high-beam mode may be necessary on poorly illuminated stretches.
This feature aims to promote safer driving behavior in urban areas while avoiding unnecessary restrictions on highway driving.
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