New Headlamp Rules For Two-Wheelers, Cars Likely From April 2027 To Reduce Road Glare

The Union government is considering tighter headlamp regulations for vehicles in an effort to reduce glare and improve road safety, particularly in urban areas.

According to a report by The Times of India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules that could require automatic headlamps on new two-wheelers to function only in passing-beam, or low-beam, mode from April 2027.

The proposed changes are aimed at limiting the use of high-beam lights, which can temporarily impair the vision of oncoming motorists and two-wheeler riders, potentially increasing accident risks.

Proposed limits on headlamp intensity

Under the current Automatic Headlamp On system, vehicles can switch between low and high beams depending on their settings. The ministry is reportedly considering the changes after efforts to encourage motorists to use low beams in appropriate situations failed to produce the desired results.

MoRTH has also proposed lowering the maximum permissible intensity of high-powered headlamps. For two-wheelers, the limit could be reduced to 100,000 candela (cd) from 150,000 cd. For four-wheelers, the proposed ceiling is 150,000 cd, compared with the existing 225,000 cd.

Candela is the standard international unit used to measure luminous intensity.

New rules on colour temperature and visibility

The proposed amendments could also introduce a maximum colour temperature of 6,500 Kelvin (K) for vehicle headlamps. High-colour-temperature white lights from headlamps and fog lamps have been linked to increased glare, discomfort and reduced visibility for other road users.

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.