Why are Chinese cars left-hand drive?
1 Answers
Because China adopts right-hand traffic, where vehicles drive on the right side of the road. Following the principle of positioning the driver's seat closer to the road centerline better ensures traffic safety, which is why all vehicles in China are left-hand drive. The distinction between left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles depends on whether the local traffic follows left-hand or right-hand driving rules. Additional information: 1. Origin of left-hand and right-hand drive: The earliest automobiles had centrally located driver's seats. Soon after, some automakers positioned the driver's seat on the side closer to the road centerline for better visibility of oncoming traffic, while others placed it on the roadside side to avoid collisions with obstacles like walls, hedges, or ditches. Practical experience proved that the former approach better maintained road safety, thus becoming the standard for automakers. This led to the distinction between left-hand drive (driver's seat on the left front) and right-hand drive (driver's seat on the right front) vehicles. 2. Road traffic direction: The direction of road traffic is a crucial aspect of traffic regulations worldwide, specifying the side of the road vehicles should drive on to prevent confusion and accidents. Road traffic directions can be categorized into left-hand traffic (vehicles drive on the left) and right-hand traffic (vehicles drive on the right).