India to mandate low-beam only automatic headlights and dimmer lamps
From April, new two-wheelers will have automatic headlights limited to low beam, and maximum light intensity for cars and bikes will be reduced.
Starting next April, the Ministry of Road Transport will enforce changes to vehicle lighting standards across India. Automatic headlamp systems on newly manufactured two-wheelers must stay in low-beam mode, while the ceiling for luminous intensity will drop from 1.5 lakh candela to 1 lakh candela for two-wheelers and from 2.25 lakh candela to 1.5 lakh candela for cars. The draft also caps the colour temperature of headlamps and requires that the mounting height of main-beam lights match that of passing-beam units.
Buses and other heavy vehicles will be obliged to use genuine reflective tape for better night visibility. A new audio warning, active at speeds below 60 kmph, will prompt drivers who manually switch to high beam in city conditions to revert to low beam, while allowing high-beam use on faster highways.
Why it matters
Stricter lighting rules aim to cut glare and improve night-time safety for all road users.
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