Why does a sedan have only one reversing light?
2 Answers
According to Article 4.3.15 of China's "GB4785-2007 Installation Regulations for External Lighting and Light Signaling Devices of Motor Vehicles and Trailers," vehicles with a length of less than 6 meters are required to install one reversing light, with an optional second one. Since national regulations mandate the installation of one reversing light, many car brands, while complying with Chinese regulations, have omitted the second reversing light. Here is some relevant information about reversing lights: 1. When reversing, the driver's side visibility is hardly affected, as the brake lights and observation lights are generally sufficient for clear visibility. However, the visibility on the passenger side is not as good, so the white light from the reversing light helps improve it. 2. Having a single reversing light makes it easier for drivers behind to notice and also prevents confusion with brake lights. In many developed countries, only one reversing light is installed.
Last year when I helped a friend fix his car, I was also curious about this issue. Actually, regulations only require that there must be a reverse light, but don't specify that two must be installed. For economical cars like the older Volkswagen Lavida, manufacturers usually install only one reverse light on the right side to save costs. If you pay attention, you'll notice that the left position is actually occupied by the rear fog light. A single reverse light provides sufficient brightness for reversing at night, and the yellowish-white light is particularly conspicuous in the dark. This design also avoids weakening the strength of the trunk lid due to symmetrical openings on both sides, making it a rather clever engineering trade-off.
