Recently, China’s National Technical Committee of Auto Standardization has announced plans of amending GB4785-2007 “Automotive and exterior signal lighting devices and safety standards.” This is the second draft, and once amendments are completed it will enter the phase of accepting public opinion.

A total of 11 amendments have been recommended.

1)      Article 3.31 was added to regulate “marker lamp for trailer drawbar.” The installation of the bar must be in the front of the car and include white signal lights, while the rear red lights are used as auxiliary signal lights. Rear lights are luminaires that indicate the presence of a vehicle.

2)      Article 4.1.11: “Headlamps and rear position lights, clearance lamp (if installed), turn signal lamps (if installed), license plate lights, and marker lamp for trailer drawbar must be switched on or off at the same time prior to connecting electric circuits. However, this regulation is not applied to headlamps, rear lamps, or signal lamps if they are used as compound lighting or in combination.

3)      Added Act 4.1.21L “Car luminaires installed must meet regulations under 4.3.1~4.3.21. Therefore, 4.3.20 emergency signal lights and 4.3.21 marker lamp for draw-bar trailer were also added.”

4)      Act 4.1.23 was added: “Rear lights, reverse lights, and brake lights of trucks, trailers, and other vehicles bigger than 4,500 Kg, must have a light transmittance surface area larger than an 88 mm diameter circle. If the transmittance area is not a circle, the shape must be able to enclose a 40 mm diameter circle.”

5)      Added 4.3.3.5: “Aside from Type 5 and 6 side signal lights, other lights unimpeded observation visual surface must be larger than 12.5 cm square. (Does not include reflection of the transmittance area). Luminaires that meet 4.1.23    regulation requirements are excluded from this regulation.”

6)      Addition of 4.3.7.5: For unimpeded observation, the visible surface cannot be smaller than 12.5 cm (does not include transmittance or reflected area). This regulation is not applicable to luminaires that meet Act 4.1.23.”

7)       An additional regulation was added to table 1:

marker lamps for trailer drawbar: white lights must be installed in headlights, while red lights in rear lamps.

8)      Added regulations 4.3.21~4.3.21.9: “4.3.21 marker lamp for draw-bar trailer”

Equipment mentioned in 4.3.21.1 must be installed in trailers drawbar, but is prohibited in other types of vehicles.

• 4.3.21.2 volume: 2
• 4.3.21.3 installation: no specific requirements
• 4.3.21.4 installation position
• 4.3.21.4.1 horizontal: The distance from the furthest visible plain on the car’s vertical dimension to the trailers exterior should be at least 150 mm.
• 4.3.21.4.2 height: The height of the trailer’s drawbar should be between 300mm to 400mm.
• 4.3.21.4.3 Should be vertically installed in the front of the trailer.
• No specific demands regarding 4.3.21.5 geometrical visibility.
• 4.3.21.6 direction: White light emitted should be directed towards the front of the vehicle, while red lights towards the rear of the car.
• 4.3.21.7: Connecting electric circuits according to regulation 4.1.11.
• 4.3.21.8 Indicator: Optional installation. If installed the features should be executed by the front and rear signal lights.
• Other demands under 4.3.21.9: The strength and direction of the trailer signal lights from the reference axis must meet GB5920 table 1 front and rear marker lamp demands.

9)      Added graph 19:

Graph 19: Signal lights on trailer drawbars.

10) Regulation citation documents added “GB5920 car and trailers headlamps, rear lights, marker lights and brake lights performance.”

11) Special regulation 4.3.1.9 was changed. “Other requirements: when all headlamps are on, the high beam headlamps maximum luminance should not exceed 225,000 cd,” was changed to “when all headlamps are on, the high beam headlamps luminance should not exceed 430,000 cd.”