Indications on lights
Vehicle lights approved for road use bear various markings that provide information on their approval, function, and permitted use. These include, for example, ECE and EU type-approval marks, as well as functional markings for low beams, high beams, stop lights, or turn signals. The following abbreviations are commonly found on headlights, tail lights, and turn signals.
The actual markings on a light depend on its function and the applicable regulations. Modern lights often bear several markings at the same time.
Additional information on headlamps:
- A – Parking light/Position light
- B – Fog light
- C-AS – Class A symmetrical low beam
- C-BS – Class B symmetrical low beam
- CR – Class A low and high beam
- C/R – Low or high beam
- DC – Low beam with gas discharge lamp
- DCR – Asymmetrical low and high beam with gas discharge lamp
- DC/R – Asymmetrical low or high beam with gas discharge lamp
- DR – High beam with gas discharge lamp
- HC – Asymmetrical low beam with filament lamp or LED
- HR – High beam with filament lamp or LED
- HCR – Asymmetrical low and high beam with filament lamp or LED
- HC/R – Asymmetrical low or high beam with filament lamp or LED
- K – Turning lamp
- M – Low and/or high beam for agricultural and forestry tractors up to 30 km/h
- R – High beam
- T – Cornering light
- WC-CS – Symmetrical class C low beam
- WC-DS – Symmetrical class D low beam
- WC-ES – Class E symmetrical low beam
- 50R – Parking light for motorbikes
- ← – Only for left-hand traffic (without arrow for right-hand traffic)
- ↔ – For left-hand and right-hand traffic
Fig.: Indications on the front lens of a headlight. On the left, information on function, in the middle the ECE test mark and an indication of brightness, on the right the CE mark and an indication of testing according to SAE.
Additional information on rear lights:
- AR – Backup light
- F – Rear fog light
- IA – Rear reflector
- R – Taillight
- S, S1, S2, S3 – Stop light
- 50R – Taillight/Stop light for motorbikes
Additional information on indicator lights:
- 1, 1a, 1b – Front direction indicators of different types
- 2, 2a, 2b – Rear direction indicators of different types
- → / ← – Direction indicator right / left, the arrow indicates the installation direction. It always points towards the outside of the vehicle. If there is no arrow, the rear light can be installed either on the right or on the left.
- 3, 4, 5, 6 – Side indicator lights of various designs
- 12 – Rear motorbike indicator light
- 31 – Side motorbike indicator light
Additional information on other lights:
- L – License plate lamp
- SM1, SM2 – Side marker light
- RL – Daytime Running Light
Other information:
- PL – Plastic lens
- TOP – Upper part of the light-emitting surface
Furthermore, the luminous intensity is often given as an additional reference number.