Two-wheelers to have low-beam auto headlamps from April 2028
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 Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules to make it mandatory for automatic headlamps in new two-wheelers to work only in passing beam (low beam mode).
The move is aimed at reducing glare and improving vision of other road users. The MoRTH, in a draft notification, said, “In the principal rules...provided further that, on and after 1st April 2028, the automatic headlamp on operation shall operate in passing beam only,” it said.
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.
According to the draft notification, 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.
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.
In another safety measure, buses and other heavy vehicles could be required to use genuine reflective tapes. The aim is to make such vehicles more visible to motorists during nighttime driving and periods of poor weather.
If implemented, the proposals would mark a significant tightening of vehicle lighting standards with road safety and glare reduction as key objectives.
