Is the Subject 2 Simulator Mandatory?
2 Answers
It is mandatory. Here are the details: 1. Reason: The simulator (for clocking training hours) must be used. According to the "Road Traffic Law of the People's Republic of China," completing the required simulator training duration is a prerequisite for taking the Subject 2 test. 2. Subject 2: Also known as the small road test, it is part of the motor vehicle driver's license assessment, specifically the field driving skills test. For car licenses C1 and C2, the test items include five mandatory components: reverse parking, parallel parking, hill start and stop, right-angle turns, and curve driving (commonly known as S-turns). Some regions may include a sixth item: highway toll card collection.
I just got my driver's license not long ago, and I personally used the driving simulator for the Subject 2 test a few times—it felt quite helpful. It's not mandatory, as most driving school policies don't require it, and the actual test mainly uses real cars. However, the simulator allows beginners to familiarize themselves with operations like steering and gear shifting in advance, reducing nervousness and the risk of scratches during real-car practice. I remember trying the parallel parking on the simulator on my first day, and I felt much more confident when I got into the actual car later. Driving schools usually encourage students to take a few simulator sessions because it saves fuel costs and time. But it depends on your instructor's arrangement—it's best to ask if they offer any recommended packages. Cost-wise, it might add a few hundred yuan, but if you're on a tight budget, you can skip it and go straight to real-car practice. The key is not to panic—more practice is always good.
