Using simconnect will make it unnecessarily complicated just to avoid a 180º turnaround.
There is a way to prevent pushback and turn around but when it is not a drive-through aircraft stand, you'd be better off with the aircraft turning around after pushback
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The distance of the pushback is determined by half the distance to the next taxi link node.
If you are referring to a 'drive-through', it will depend on your taxiway layout which way your aircraft will go unless you have 'plumbed' your airport.
Anyway, to shorten the pushback distance, you either put a node as close as possible to the parking spot and when a 'drive-through' as close as possible to but at the front end of the parking spot.
I presume that you are on FSX or P3D because in FS9 it is slilghtly different.
I do not think AI aircraft need reverse thrust because they are not even in taxi mode (engines start revving only after pushback).
Cheers