There is a YouTube channel called Technology Connections which has a video about American car headlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2J91UG6Fn8 https://ww

There is a YouTube channel called Technology Connections which has a video about American car headlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2J91UG6Fn8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2J91UG6Fn8 which I think illustrated a good example of the difference between mandating a solution, and mandating requirements. Considering car headlights. Obviously there are some requirements we should make - they need to be bright enough to safely light-up the road. They should not blind oncoming drivers. They need to be reasonably safe in the event of a collision. Between the sixties and 1984, the government of the USA mandated a solution. Basically one model of headlights was permitted (with a few minor variations introduced over time). If you look at all car models from this time they have a similar appearance, and the same headlights are still in use in some commercial vehicles today. In most European nations (and other parts of the world) instead a requirement, or series of requirements were made. If you met these standards for lighting level, glare, etc. your headlight was permitted. This led to European and Japanese cars have very varied headlight models, while most American cars were forced to stick to the same old style. This meant that American drivers missed out on innovations in this space. Mandates can very easily become out-dates. Whereas well written requirements are much more timeless.