Sounds For Silent EVs: Solving a Problem That May Not Exist

[msirach]

Are EV's and hybrids killers? NO!!!

John Voelcker - GREENCARREPORTS - July 23, 2010

A controversial subject that has been discussed in several venues including political arenas. Where will the line be drawn? --Ed.

It's a wonderful TV news flash: Blind people in peril from killer electric cars! News at 11. The fear is that electric vehicles are so silent that blind people can't hear them coming, so new draft safety regulations may now require electric vehicles to emit sounds.

There's just one problem: Accident data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show no increase in deaths for blind people in pedestrian accidents during the 10 years that hybrid-electric vehicles have been sold.

Full hybrids, including the definitive 2010 Toyota Prius, are a proxy for EVs because they can operate in full electric mode at low speeds. With the gasoline engine off, the only sounds they emit are tire noise plus a slight whine from the electric motor.... [Read More]

[Damionk]

I used to think this was a load of horse dung. Until, my fiancé almost got backed into walking into a store. I still think it is a matter of people not paying enough attention, but now I think there might be something to it. Not set either way though.

For the record I gave her a little bit of a hard time about not paying attention.

[Right Lane Cruiser]

What vehicle was it?

[WriConsult]

Well, of course you're not going to see any/many DEATHS from this. As has been pointed out, above 20-30mph most of the sound a vehicle makes is from tires. But that doesn't mean there isn't a problem.

But I still see a significantly increased rate of conflict between pedestrians and EV-mode hybrids in parking lots, and that could still lead to an elevated rate of injuries. I also think there's a substantial risk to children on neighborhood streets where speeds are often slow enough to cut out most of the tire noise. Reality is that kids don't always possess the judgment to remember to LOOK as well as listen when they cross. Actually neither do adults -- as a bicyclist, I am reminded of this on a daily basis.

[Damionk]

Sean, I don't recall what kind of vehicle it was, or she didn't notice.

WriConsult, you do have a good point that most incidents with hybrids in electric mode would be low speed and the injuries would be minimal.

[ksstathead]

Originally Posted by Damionk

I used to think this was a load of horse dung. Until, my fiancé almost got backed into walking into a store. I still think it is a matter of people not paying enough attention, but now I think there might be something to it. Not set either way though.

For the record I gave her a little bit of a hard time about not paying attention.

An exterior backup beep might be in order. That is less objectionable to me than the always-on ice cream truck noisemaker.

[jsmithy]

"With the gasoline engine off, the only sounds they emit are tire noise plus a slight whine from the electric motor.."


And tire noise. Once my Prius is over 10 MPH or so tire noise is definately audible.

[aburk4]

I think the Prius electric motor is plenty audible for a person to hear. Extra artificial noise sounds silly if you ask me.

[msirach]

The 2010 Prius has an annoying inverter whine that is already built into it.

[Yaris Hilton]

Make 'em all play 2000 watt "boom box" bass music and they'll be heard.