Why is the driver's seat on the left side in Chinese cars?
3 Answers
The reason is to facilitate judging and controlling the distance between the car and oncoming traffic from the left. The specific reasons are as follows: 1. In ergonomics, most people are accustomed to using their right hand. To ensure that drivers can easily operate gear shifting and braking for safety and reliability, designers naturally placed the driver's seat on the right side of the vehicle. 2. When cars were first introduced, the majority of car owners were wealthy individuals who employed chauffeurs. The driver's seat was placed on the right side to make it easier for the chauffeur to open the door for the owner and to quickly get out to clear obstacles on the road to prevent punctures in the pneumatic tires. Thus, early cars naturally adopted a right-hand drive and right-hand traffic configuration.
This question really hits home for me. Having driven for over twenty years, I've found that placing the driver's seat on the left is primarily for safety. In our country, we drive on the right side of the road, so having the steering wheel on the left allows for a clear view of oncoming traffic when turning. Just think about it – if the steering wheel were on the right like in Japan or the UK, wouldn't the opposite direction lead to collisions? Actually, before liberation, concessions had a mix of British and American cars, but in 1955, it was officially mandated to drive on the right, making the left-side steering wheel the standard. Remember, this position lets you spot dangers immediately, especially those electric bikes cutting in during left turns. I've had plenty of firsthand experience with this on national highways during long drives.
As a traffic engineering designer, from a safety perspective, left-hand drive design scientifically matches the keep-right driving rule. With the steering wheel on the left, the driver's field of vision can maximize coverage of the opposite lane conditions. Simply put, when turning, you can directly see the road conditions on the outer side of the curve. This involves the design of the vehicle's collision buffer zone—the driver's position is farther from the hazard source. An important statistic: left-hand drive drivers have an 18% lower accident rate at intersections compared to right-hand drive. Additionally, the control logic for turn signals and wipers is also designed accordingly.
