Should EVs Make Artificial Sounds at Low Speeds?

[GeekGirls]

There's one very specific case in which I would support a noisemaker-type device for EVs or hybrids, and that's when they are moved out of Park, or have remained still for some time (5 or 10 minutes perhaps) and just start to move again.

That would certainly help with many situations. The conditioning does wear off in a generation or so, though, and eventually people are going to wonder what the sound is for. Like having a floppy disk icon on a save button thoroughly confuses people who have never seen a floppy disk.

In terms of the below-18mph-type rules, if you want a noisemaker for quiet vehicles at all times, then (as has been stated in this extensive thread several times) make the rule apply to ALL quiet vehicles, not just those of a specific technology. Pull out the dB-meter and be consistent about it.

Sadly, I suspect you could be perfectly consistent just by specifying a dB level as a function of vehicle mass. Bicycles just don't have the destructive capacity of a 4,600 pound vehicle. Of course any sane person would then point out that the capacity for injury increases with greater mass and velocity, so having a vehicle get quieter when it moves more rapidly is madness.

 

[Vexar]

For the bicycles, they could mandate putting collector cards in the spokes.

I do hope Tesla Motors allows us to upload our noise. I'm all for personalization. The sinister "hum" of the dark side of The Force, aggressive whine of the rotors of Airwolf, the Cylon sweep-scan noise, or some Victorian age-of-steam noises.
For those of you who already have their vehicles, just lay on the horn every time you slow down below the target velocity, especially right outside the NHTSA building!

You know for fun, this should also apply to the Segue. For that vehicle, I'd suggest the melodic tinkle of a toddler's toy.

 

[vfx]

I do hope Tesla Motors allows us to upload our noise

As much as you would like the sound you choose for your baby, you may equally despise the sound coming from the guy next to you.

Most likely each brand will come up with a signature sound. Fisker has set the stick in the sand.

This is going to make traffic jams soundpuke city.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

As much as you would like the sound you choose for your baby, you may equally despise the sound coming from the guy next to you.

Most likely each brand will come up with a signature sound. Fisker has set the stick in the sand.

This is going to make traffic jams soundpuke city.

The quiet aspect of the EV will be lost in a city with BS artificially added noises. Pay attention. It is your responsibility as a vehicle driver. Peds come 1st.
Why should they need to hear you?
It is possible to ride a bike at 30 mph past a pedestrian with no warning noise and potentially kill or maime the walker if they decided to cut in front of the biker. where is the difference? ( add sounds to bicycles and flashing lights to peds - fixed )

 

[MikeK]

I'm generally opposed to this rule, because I truly enjoy the quiet ride of an EV, and the Tesla is about as quiet as they come.

That said, my friend's LEAF does include this type of functionality, and I really wasn't bothered by it, either standing outside of one or driving it with the window down.

What I want is to see some actual documentary evidence that it will do some good.

I also think that it would be very helpful to have a way for the driver to manually produce an alerting sound for pedestrians that won't scare the crap out of them. The EV-1 had this tied to the high-beam flashers, and I believe the Volt resurrected that idea. It just plain makes sense.

 

[JRP3]

Well, Big Brother has decided that we are too quiet, and under 18 mph we need to broadcast some external sound. Will Tesla (and other impacted manufacturers) be helping us to refit our vehicles?

I'm sure existing vehicles will be exempt.

 

[Johan]

My take on the OP question Should EVs Make Artificial Sounds at Low Speeds? :

No and Yes. No to mandatory always-on sounds under a given speed, Yes to a secondary horn with at more subtle sound than the ordinary horn that can be used to alert pedestrians as needed.

If this law comes in effect this is one of those things they'll be laughing about in 50 years.

 

[herbvdh]

NO Also do we need to let the neighbors know when you leave and come home especially when they sleep different hours etc. At my previous house my car was about 6 feet from there bedroom. I see a neighbor filing a noise complaint against an owner. Furthermore they are going to place these noise devices on trucks and busses. Now what about towns that will require you to mute this device between certain hours. 10 PM to 6 AM is noise free time where I live. That includes emergency vehicles fire department cannot use sirens unless responding to a confirmed fire.

 

[Thumper]

No, No, No........ This is nothing but the hysterical equivalent of having someone walk 10 feet in front of a car with red lantern. How about Roll Royces and Maybachs? If they want to mandate a minimum sound level for ALL cars maybe we could talk but otherwise it is just EV hazing!

 

[sp4rk]

+1 for being completely against the noise.

I loathe the "rushing" noise my Leaf makes. Only thing about the car that makes me look forward to the S arriving.

Ok, not the only thing ... where did I put my list?

 

[GLDYLX]

Continuous noise, no. It is our responsibility as drivers to avoid peds, bikes, animals, etc.. And I live near a school for the blind.

Pedestrian "horn", yes. I would want the first two notes of the JAWS theme to use on the idiots who stand around in the middle of parking lots, oblivious to the cars trying to get around them. Also to use on drivers who forget that green means "Go".

 

[MikeK]

NO Also do we need to let the neighbors know when you leave and come home especially when they sleep different hours etc.

If what we're talking about here compares to the LEAF, then I don't think there's any hazard of that. The LEAF's sound is quite subtle, but it's enough that a pedestrian can hear it.

 

[Kipernicus]

Pay attention. It is your responsibility as a vehicle driver. Peds come 1st.
Why should they need to hear you?

I agree, but I also like the idea of a noise when shifting into gear and a low-volume horn.
You might be parked between two giant SUVs and neither you nor the backup camera can see the people walking by the SUV who also cannot see you and your backup lights. Sound in this situation will certainly help.

 

[constraint]

Should it be required to always be on.... No but mostly because I am a libertarian and don't believe in the nanny state.

However IF it is to be required I would prefer it to be a consistent sound between different models/brands of cars. The reason for the "law" is to help distracted people avoid getting hit. When you are distracted you tend to have a basic understanding of the environment around you and tend to register familiar sounds quicker then unfamiliar sounds. If someone were to program a Tesla to have a 10 MPH car sound out a low volume rendition of "in the goda davida" I am going to stop and turn around looking to figure out what in the world is behind me. I would much rather have a sound that is recognized as a vehicle behind me (currently the sound of a car engine) as I can register what that sound is in my distracted brain without turning to see what it is. I am not saying an EV has to sound like an ICE, but all EV's should sound roughly the same when sneaking up behind you.

 

[brianman]

I'm sure existing vehicles will be exempt.

I wish I was confident in this.

 

[JRP3]

True, but I can't think of any regulation that was retroactively applied to older vehicles.

 

[Sig698]

True, but I can't think of any regulation that was retroactively applied to older vehicles.

Agreed, if a pre-1970 car can still drive around without a catalytic converter, it would be pretty ridiculous for an EV retrofitted noisemaker to be required.

 

[100thMonkey]

One of my sisters is blind and was backed into by a prius in a parking lot some years ago. She ended up on the news and a lot of discussion was had in our family about this subject. I originally thought is was ridiculous to require that cars make a minimal amount of noise, I hate noise pollution but later I came around. I think the way the Leaf deals with this issue is perfect, mainly making a not too intrusive sound when moving forward slowly and a back up beep when backing up. the Leaf makes no artificial sound when it's underway at higher speeds so it doesn't add to the overall background noise pollution. It works and satisfies those who have issue with this. I don't think EV's should be singled out, honestly, all cars that operate below an given threshold of sound should be held to the same standard. The reality is that cars that are perfectly quiet pose a hazard to pedestrians whether or not they are handicapped and many modern cars are become more and more quiet.

 

[JRP3]

I can see a few beeps when first starting up maybe, but a bunch of beeping cars in a traffic jam or parking lot seems ridiculous, and possibly counter productive for warning anyone.

 

[jordanthompson]

Does this mean that bicycles, skateboards, and golf carts will need beepers too? Sometimes politicians come up with the darnedest ideas! :cursing:

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One of my sisters is blind and was backed into by a prius in a parking lot some years ago.

I'm sorry this happened to your sister, but does this mean that we should install flashing lights for deaf people?