How Many Items Are in the Automatic Transmission Vehicle Subject 2 Test?
2 Answers
The C2 Subject 2 test consists of 4 items: reverse parking, parallel parking, curve driving, and right-angle turning. Compared to the C1 manual transmission test, it excludes the hill start item. According to Article 25 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123), starting from June 1, 2021, the C2 and C5 Subject 2 tests no longer assess the hill start and stop. Reverse parking is one of the more challenging items in the Subject 2 test, so many test centers arrange it as the first item. The key to reverse parking lies in mastering three points: the steering wheel's full-lock point, the 30-centimeter correction point, and the parking point inside the bay. Drivers must follow the prescribed route and sequence. The vehicle must be parked inside the bay without crossing the lines. Parallel parking focuses on aligning the front line of the parking space with the rear wheel, spotting the rear corner in the mirror, and maintaining the distance between the wheel and the left dashed line. There's no need to straighten the wheels after parking, but remember to use the turn signal when exiting. After parking, the vehicle body must not cross the lines, and the tires must not touch the lane boundaries during movement. Curve driving, commonly known as the S-turn, is manageable for many students with good vehicle control, often completed by feel alone, indicating its moderate difficulty. However, some students misjudge the line positions during the actual test, leading to immediate failure by crossing the lines. The key to the S-turn is observing the reference points on the front hood and the edge lines. The wheels must not press against the road edges. Right-angle turning is relatively easier, essentially a simplified version of the exit phase from reverse parking. The method for finding the reference point is similar to exiting the bay, based on the relationship between the front hood's horizontal line and the front line (either aligning or slightly delaying). Ensure the wheels do not touch the road edges. Typically, the C1 Subject 2 requires 16 hours of training, while the C2 Subject 2 requires 14 hours. Completing the required training hours is a basic prerequisite for taking the Subject 2 test. Training hours can only be increased, not reduced, with additional items requiring corresponding extra hours. Each training hour lasts 60 minutes, with effective teaching time no less than 45 minutes. If a candidate fails the Subject 2 test, they are allowed one retake. Failing the retake ends the current test session, and the applicant must reschedule the test after ten days. If the test is failed five times in a row (including retakes, totaling 10 attempts), all previously passed subjects will be invalidated, and the candidate must restart the learning and testing process from Subject 1.
I took the automatic transmission Subject 2 test last year, which indeed only included four items: reverse parking, parallel parking, curve driving, and right-angle turns. The new policy eliminating the hill start has significantly reduced the burden. During practice, focusing on reverse parking was key because it's the most challenging—just a slight mistake and you'd cross the line. On the test day, I was a bit nervous but reminded myself to operate slowly, maintain a steady speed during curve driving, and remember to use the turn signal for right-angle turns. Overall, automatic transmission feels simpler, as you don’t have to deal with the clutch. I recommend simulating the test at the venue multiple times to familiarize yourself with each point’s position and checking the car’s condition in advance to avoid mistakes.
