Should EVs Make Artificial Sounds at Low Speeds?

[TEG]

SNL: New Car Horns

 

[vfx]

Apparently you can turn it off but it goes back on every time you restart the car.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/11/hear-it-nissan-gives-electric-leaf-car-sound/

 

[vfx]

Please, for the love of all that is good, no...

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yO5msMEGZI[/url][url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZK74nUJl48[/url]

Backing up sounds like a waring from Logan's Run.

It's all lame!

 

[ChargeIt!]

And the forward sound ... does anyone else think it sounds like the "Ford POS" in "Men-in-Black" ?

 

[TEG]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbguG06kQI[/media]

 

[EVNow]

They apparently hired a Hollywood sound studio. I'd switch the studio when they redo this ... (which from reaction they would have to)

 

[ChargeIt!]

"MiB Tunnelscene nach Queens

"nach" Queens ?? who is the German dude that posted that one ? :tongue:

Yeah, that's it ... best heard around 0:57++ when the "transformed" POS is upside down and at the end of the tunnel ... same Hollywood studio ???

 

[malcolm]

So in order to alert a small percentage of the population we have to completely piss off the neighbours in our streets?

If this goes ahead, it won't take long for Nissan dealers to report back that potential customers don't want to be seen as the cause and source of annoyance to others. Same for the volt.

I think the status of the "kill switch/mute button" will be raised. Quietly, of course.

 

[ChargeIt!]

Same for the volt.

Actually, the Volt is driver-controlled, which (if we absolutely MUST have this THING :frown: ) is the best compromise.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Actually, the Volt is driver-controlled, which (if we absolutely MUST have this THING :frown: ) is the best compromise.

That's what I feel too. If given the choice of driver initiated vs something you have to turn off every time you start the car, I'll choose driver initiated any day.

 

[EVNow]

Here is the amendment that puts VSP into Motor Safety Act.

http://energycommerce.house.gov/documents/20100526/HR5381.Amendment.Stearns.pdf

It prohibits Volt type of driver initiated sound.

 

[malcolm]

Here is the amendment that puts VSP into Motor Safety Act.

http://energycommerce.house.gov/documents/20100526/HR5381.Amendment.Stearns.pdf

It prohibits Volt type of driver initiated sound.

(5) shall require manufacturers to provide, within reasonable manufacturing tolerances, the same alert sound or set of alert sounds for all vehicles of the same make and model and shall prohibit manufacturers from providing any mechanism for anyone other than the manufacturer or the dealer to disable, alter, replace, or modify the alert sound or set of alert sounds, except that the manufacturer or dealer may alter, replace, or modify the alert sound or set of alert sounds in order to remedy a defect or non-compliance with the motor vehicle safety standard.​

Oh good grief!

 

[malcolm]

http://evsandenergy.blogspot.com/2010/06/testing-leaf-on-nissans-yokohama-track.html

After I got out, I didn't recall hearing the noise, so I asked them to demonstrate it. They brought a small gas car, the Nissan Versa, and a Leaf to a separate area and had first the gas car drive slowly toward us, then the Leaf. I could barely hear either of them, but the Leaf did have an audible noise. If you clicked that link, you heard the noise for both going forward and backing up. It sounds very loud in the you tube video, and that's why so many of us got upset that Nissan added such a noise, but in reality, it's barely audible when you're outside the car, and pretty much not audible at all from in the car with the windows rolled up. If there is ambient noise on the street, you probably won't hear it at all. The back up noise is about twice as loud, however, and was a bit obnoxious to me. Both noises can be turned off with the push of a button once the car is on, so it won't be a big problem unless or until the legislation passes and then they'll probably have to eliminate the button that disables the noise on future models.

Well this is a bit more reassuring but as we know, the jury is still out :frown:

 

[Niniux]

Please, stop the insanity: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/201...issan-e-v-sounds-for-pedestrians/#postComment

This is ridiculous and in the comments, so many people seem to be for it. My 2007 Hyundai Accent that I had made so little noise, I wasn't sure if it was running sometimes. I'm sure if ICE vehicles, especially luxury cars, were included in this ammendment, it'd be squashed a lot quicker. There has to be a way to oppose this, as I'm sure if this was passed in the US, it would quickly come up here, north of the border, as well.

 

[DrTaras]

I think that the deaf people lobby is being ignored. Since ICE cars are smelly, the deaf can smell them coming. I believe that a zero tail-pipe emission car should be forced to emit a sulfur-smell (sic)!

 

[dpeilow]

Report: Blind group displeased that Nissan Leaf sound can be turned off

 

[Iz]

Thanks for posting the article links - good reading.

Why did we not read any of this when Roadster was announced then subsequently produced and sold? I do not recall reading anything like this on the Tesla blogs. We need a good investigative reporter to find out who is actually behind this. Smells oily to me.

 

[vfx]

FINALLY!

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/201...sts-oppose-sounds-for-electric-cars/?emc=eta1


Where do I donate to this fight!?!

 

[vfx]

Chris Danielsen, a spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind, said that “technology can fail — maybe the battery would go dead. Blind people would rather rely on our own senses and judgment than depending on a piece of technology.”

And I would rather the blind go out wearing a bright orange vest with reflective tape and flourescent green pants. (what do they care? they can't see it)

And by the way, pacemakers have batteries. A blind person could push a button to check if the device is working at any time.

 

[stopcrazypp]

FINALLY!

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/201...sts-oppose-sounds-for-electric-cars/?emc=eta1


Where do I donate to this fight!?!

There's another thing from that piece. They did the sound test from headphones and not from the real source.

The maddening thing about this is that there hasn't been enough studies to show this has increased accident rates in any significant amount. Yet we are already going head on into this legislation. Many people say this is important for the life of the blind, but it hasn't been conclusively shown that it is a threat yet, esp since at the speeds discussed, the driver has enough time to react and stop. And I see plenty of people who said they have had "close calls" with hybrids, but none who say they have been hit.