NEW DELHI: From next April, automatic headlamps in new two-wheelers will work only in passing beam (low beam) mode, and headlamps of cars and other vehicles will have less intense illumination to reduce glare considering that such lights cause visual discomfort or impairs the vision of other road users.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. The amendments in automotive vehicle standards are being made because efforts to persuade drivers and make them aware of the need to use low-beam mode have not yielded desired results.At present, the Automatic Headlamp On (AHO) system can switch on both low beam and high beam modes depending on vehicle settings. The proposed rule mandates that when the automatic system is active, the headlamp will be on low beam.As for high-intensity headlamps, the maximum permissible intensity has been reduced from 1.5 lakh candela or cd (official base unit of luminous intensity) to 1 lakh cd for two-wheelers. The maximum permissible intensity for four-wheelers (cars) has been reduced from 2.25 lakh cd to 1.5 lakh cd.Studies show that white light emitted from headlamps and front fog lamps with higher colour temperatures cause significant glare, leading to discomfort and reduced visibility for other road users. To address this issue, the maximum permissible colour temperature has been restricted to 6,500 Kelvin (K).It has also been proposed that the mounting height of main-beam headlamps be equivalent to that prescribed for passing-beam headlamps.These measures target one of the major causes of night-time road crashes in India — drivers using headlamps on high beam in urban areas, which can temporarily blind motorists approaching from the opposite direction, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of crashes.
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TOI has learnt the new-generation system will also include an audio alert to discourage unnecessary use of high-beam mode on city roads. If a driver manually switches to high beam in urban conditions, the vehicle will prompt them to shift back to low beam.However, the alert will be speed sensitive. Drivers travelling on highways at speeds above 60 kmph won’t receive the warning, since the use of high-beam mode may be necessary on poorly illuminated highway stretches. The feature is intended to promote safer driving behaviour in urban areas while ensuring that highway driving is not adversely affected, officials said.
