Discussion
Are EV to quiet for their own good. I have had several come past me stealthily in the city, which did catch me by surprise. Nissan seem to be trying something, would that be an option you would like to see.
https://jalopnik.com/if-electric-cars-start-singin...
Think of the option of aftermarket sounds, just like mobile phone ringtones (so long as crazy frog is banned)
https://jalopnik.com/if-electric-cars-start-singin...
Think of the option of aftermarket sounds, just like mobile phone ringtones (so long as crazy frog is banned)
It's a potential enormous issue, increasingly the visual distractions to pedestrians, phones, advertising etc, means for safety reasons cars should really becoming noisier not quieter.
As a former Zoe user, it was something I was very conscious of and noticed a lot. Not so much around town, as there was often noisier ICE cars around too, but supermarket carparks were the worst. You really had to keep your wits about you as distracted shoppers and trolleys just walked out in front of you! It was quite tiresome / frustrating, but was merely down to people's subconscious not being used to cars moving with no or little noise. Will take years and years to "reprogram" people.
As a former Zoe user, it was something I was very conscious of and noticed a lot. Not so much around town, as there was often noisier ICE cars around too, but supermarket carparks were the worst. You really had to keep your wits about you as distracted shoppers and trolleys just walked out in front of you! It was quite tiresome / frustrating, but was merely down to people's subconscious not being used to cars moving with no or little noise. Will take years and years to "reprogram" people.
saknog said:
Are EV to quiet for their own good. I have had several come past me stealthily in the city, which did catch me by surprise. Nissan seem to be trying something, would that be an option you would like to see.
https://jalopnik.com/if-electric-cars-start-singin...
Think of the option of aftermarket sounds, just like mobile phone ringtones (so long as crazy frog is banned)
There are regulations in the EU with regard to this. I think it's either 2019 or 2020 that changes will take place.https://jalopnik.com/if-electric-cars-start-singin...
Think of the option of aftermarket sounds, just like mobile phone ringtones (so long as crazy frog is banned)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/in...
nickofh said:
Our Renault Zoe has a pedestrian alert that sounds below 18mph. It sounds a bit like a robotic hum.
It does make people look and wonder what the sound is in car park's. Oddly no sound plays in reverse though due to some law about reversing alarm's.
I turn it off because I find it irritating!It does make people look and wonder what the sound is in car park's. Oddly no sound plays in reverse though due to some law about reversing alarm's.
The people who wander out in front of EVs are probably the same people who wander out in front of cyclists. The problem isn't the approaching vehicle, it's the unobservant Darwin award candidate.
Certainly both Leaf and Zoe have "pedestrian warning" sounds at low speeds. Once speed rises a little higher then tyre noise is sufficient. The Leaf is a melodic whistling noise, and the Zoe is a metallic sounding groan.
If you turn them off then at slow speeds the cars are absolutely silent. I've amused myself by creeping up on colleagues in the car park
I tend to find that the only problems arise in higher noise areas, such as when the much quieter EV is drowned out by the noisy diesel 10m further back and people don't check before stepping out.
Inevitably future vehicles will have pedestrian avoidance systems as standard anyway, I would suggest. Which in conjunction with the warning sounds (and hopefully fewer noisy ICEs) should make it better.
If you turn them off then at slow speeds the cars are absolutely silent. I've amused myself by creeping up on colleagues in the car park
I tend to find that the only problems arise in higher noise areas, such as when the much quieter EV is drowned out by the noisy diesel 10m further back and people don't check before stepping out.
Inevitably future vehicles will have pedestrian avoidance systems as standard anyway, I would suggest. Which in conjunction with the warning sounds (and hopefully fewer noisy ICEs) should make it better.
Knock_knock said:
Certainly both Leaf and Zoe have "pedestrian warning" sounds at low speeds.
The Leaf doesn't for sure, you have to turn the Zoe one off everytime you get in the car. I have just learnt to be very careful when driving behind pedestrians in car parks, but most of them are "mombies" with a phone and headphones and they wouldn't hear an ICE car either.
RicksAlfas said:
The thing I find strange is people often look and seem to see me, but then walk out anyway. It's as if they need the double signal of noise and sight.
It would be a shame if we need to have klaxons and hooters going as the silence is part of the appeal!
Wouldn't work for deaf eitherIt would be a shame if we need to have klaxons and hooters going as the silence is part of the appeal!
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