

Should Hybrid and Electric Cars Have to Sound Like Regular Cars? - blackjack48
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/01/should-electric-cars-have-sound-regular-cars/4364/

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JoeAltmaier
Been in SF; almost stepped off the curb in front of an electric bus.

There's a need for electric vehicles to make SOME kind of sound.

Also, I heard a Tesla pull out and accelerate down the street in Mt View. It
sounded exactly like a slot car. I had to laugh. So maybe Tesla should be
paying attention to that aspect of public perception - their cars shouldn't be
making me laugh.

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olefoo
I understand both the reason for the sound alert and the distaste for carrying
forward the existing bland hum. Perhaps the NHTSA could come up with an
acceptable standard definition (x db, localizable, y frequency histogram, etc.
) that would guarantee the vehicle was audible, and then curate a library of
tone generators that were acceptable for use on city streets.

I'm not the only one who would like his vehicle to purr like a kitten,
literally.

But this is just a general instance of safety standards that try to achieve
their goals by indirect means; rather than specify what exact sounds must be
used. Why not have a requirement that a vehicle must emit a sound that is
audible , indicative of a vehicle and not an offensive breach of the peace.

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jstclair
Electric cars could be the next ring tone market. Personally, I'd love
galloping horses...

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snogglethorpe
> _Personally, I'd love galloping horses..._
    
    
       Bravely bold Sir Robin
       Rode forth from Camelot
       ...

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Osiris
What are the statistics regarding the number of pedestrians that are struck by
electric vehicles? I have to imagine its a very small number. I don't like the
idea of making the car always sound artificially loud because of something
that is highly unlikely to ever occur for a given vehicle.

A better approach would be to have some type of sensor in the front of the car
that detects the distance to something in front of it and either makes a
warning sound or automatically applies the brakes.

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martinced
Years and years a test was made in a little city in Switzerland. The results
where scary.

There have been lots and lots of accidents. So many that the authorities
decided to continue the test, but only at the condition that bells (like the
ones cows are wearing) where added to the cars, so that pedestrian could hear
them.

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gte910h
As a person who lives inside a city: hell yes they should be quiet instead of
sounding like an ICE.

As a person who own a Prius: I'd think about the OPTION of installing
something to make noise, as I have had pedestrians almost get hit and I've had
several cyclists hit me. Something as LOUD as a normal car though? No.

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nextstep
No, that's stupid. There has to be another way to make cars safe for
pedestrians.

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ryguytilidie
No. This is stupid. I feel like "pay some goddamned attention" would be a
better law than making things artificially noisy.

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chromaticorb
hard of sight people need all the help they can get to cross the road, and
many of them do rely on car noise to some degree.

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voidlogic
This is stupid; do nothing and people will learn to adjust.

I actually like the idea of a city with less noise pollution. I would be more
in favour of cars with proximity sensors auto-honking in preference to this
non-sense.

Remember, look both ways before crossing the street kids...

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jareds
Will you drive me anywhere I need to go or pay the difference between a self-
driving car and a normal car if self-driving cars become available since I
can't look one way let alone both ways? Proximity sensors aren't a good enough
solution since as a blind individual I rely on hearing traffic patterns to
determine when lights are red verses green. I'm sure you could create an
electronic device for use by blind people what would interface with cars and
traffic lights to make up for not hearing the noise but who will actually pay
for the development and installation that would be required for such a device?

