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from the fake-engine-noises-FTW-Vrrrm-Vrrrm! dept.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the rule was needed because battery-powered vehicles are very quiet.
It said the rule would particularly help blind pedestrians, or those with a visual impairment, detect electric cars and hybrids on the road.
The new safety rule could help prevent 2,400 injuries a year, said the NHTSA.
The rule demands that the cars make a noise when travelling either forwards or backwards at speeds of less than 30kmh (19mph). The regulation covers vehicles with four wheels that weigh less than 10,000 pounds (4.5 tonnes).
The safety specification requires car makers to use a two-tone signal similar to that currently emitted by heavy vehicles when they are reversing.
It would be more fun if drivers could customize what that sound is, such as "La Cucaracha" or the whine of a Shadow vessel.
Electric and hybrid cars are to include a noise generation device for travel at low speeds with no internal combustion engine: http://www.nhtsa.gov/About-NHTSA/Press-Releases/nhtsa_quiet_car_final_rule_11142016.
There goes my quiet electric future.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday November 16 2016, @04:11PM
I positively hate that two tone sound. Delivery trucks and forklifts both use the same electronic noise makers. Imagine that ugly noise coming from every car that passes by. People, if you get one of these things, PLEASE modify that noisebox. Make it sound like a Jacob's brake, as suggested above. Or, like a Harley. Or, a Caterpillar D9. A rocket. Or, a pteradactyl. If there must be noise pollution from these cars, make that pollution palatable to the human ear!!
Uhhhh - no - your favorite song from your favorite band probably won't please anyone for very long. Maybe some shoothing music, but no Heavy Metal, no rap.
(Score: 5, Funny) by TapeApe on Wednesday November 16 2016, @04:18PM
Perhaps the theme music from Jaws - something everyone recognizes means "careful - something's coming!"
(Score: 2) by richtopia on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:23PM
I was thinking of Ride of the Valkyries myself.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:02PM
Imagine a road with a bunch of cars going less than 19 mph, and they are all making that sound.
This is creating a huge amount of noise pollution to benefit a very small number of people. I'm all for finding ways to keep those impaired people safer. But this does not seem like the way to do it.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by fritsd on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:25PM
When I was young I was allowed to visit Rome.
Chock full of stinking cars standing still or driving in slow traffic.
Every single one of them honking, to prove that they hadn't fallen asleep, or that their claxon still worked, or that they were proud Italians, or something.
(Score: 4, Funny) by DannyB on Wednesday November 16 2016, @08:14PM
Honking.
That reminds me.
What is the shortest interval of time?
If you guessed the planck time you would be wrong. (Planck time == time at speed of light to traverse the planck length.) The shortest interval of time is that which occurs between the light turning green and a Boston cab driver honking the horn at the car in front of it.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Wednesday November 16 2016, @08:14PM
Ah, yes, the glories of Roman traffic. Vespas everywhere scurrying between stopped cars like ants, clogging up the roads so ambulances can't even get through. (Piece of advice: don't become ill while in Rome and require an ambulance -- it will take you forever to get to a hospital, since no one gets out the way.)
Anyhow, yeah -- the horns. Amazing stuff. I still remember my favorite aspect of Roman honking: the tendency to "hold a grudge" on a driver and continue to honk at him long after the precipitating incident. In the US, people sometimes honk out of anger, and they might even lay on the horn for a couple seconds if they're annoyed or you're in their way. And maybe the other guy might give a honk back if he's annoyed too. But that's usually the end of it.
In Rome, it's not uncommon at all for such a transaction to take place, and then for the two cars to continue down the street for many blocks afterward exchanging honks at each other. Why? Who knows.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 20 2016, @04:45PM
In the US, people sometimes honk out of anger, and they might even lay on the horn for a couple seconds if they're annoyed or you're in their way. And maybe the other guy might give a honk back if he's annoyed too. But that's usually the end of it.
In Rome, it's not uncommon at all for such a transaction to take place, and then for the two cars to continue down the street for many blocks afterward exchanging honks at each other. Why? Who knows.
Fewer drivers shooting each other to death in Rome?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Aiwendil on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:33PM
Daily (and nightly) slow motocades near capitol hill seems to be the obvious solution here
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 16 2016, @07:49PM
Daily (and nightly) slow motocades near capitol hill seems to be the obvious solution here
That could work, but I'd rather they did it near 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW [ntsb.gov]. NTSB is the one who passed this administrative rule, and it would be faster and cleaner for them to just reverse it (or change it to be less obnoxious).
There could be yet another law... but don't we have too much spaghetti law already?
(Score: 3, Informative) by JNCF on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:06PM
If the idea is to alert blind people of your vehicle, a Tesla that makes pterodactyl sounds might be... confusing. This sounds like a situation where we shouldn't all set our own shitty sound effects; opting to use one of a few standard noises seems more useful. I'm not saying I want the government to stop you from making your delivery truck sound like a pterodactyl, it just seems a bit counter-productive. And here we are discussing delivery truck regulations again, Runaway. Déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix -- it happens when they change something.
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:50PM
So standard noises only. Ok, I'm going to get mine to make that clicky noise that means the pedestrian crossing is on "walk".
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:11PM
favorite song
In India (at least in the South) all the cars seem to have a back-up melody instead of the typical US "Beeb--Beep--Beep" back-up noise for trucks.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 16 2016, @07:43PM
Years ago a company was promoting a noise generator as alarm. Like white noise, or pink noise or one of those. It was a lot calmer yet same effectiveness.
Found it! http://brigade-electronics.com/product/reversing-warning-alarms/overview-was [brigade-electronics.com] with video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hLIckg8bPI [youtube.com] Maker claims it's even better because our ears can locate better the broadband noise and it disipates so not annoying at long range. It also seems to be the only valid for contruction vehicles in NYC. Some models even monitor external noise to adjust output to match (click "Alternative reversing alarms").
Imagining we have to go with beep beep for normal use is silly. We can go with motor-like noise that adjusts as needed. I wonder why beeps are allowed at all, instead of something else (like NYC case).
(Score: 1) by Delwin on Wednesday November 16 2016, @09:49PM
There's an iPhone app that has a connector to the car's computer port and can play sound based on RPMs. Works for combustion and electric. You can make your car sound like a hot rod... or a Tie fighter...
(Score: 2, Funny) by nethead on Wednesday November 16 2016, @11:12PM
Amend the law so blue cars have to sound like the TARDIS.
How did my SN UID end up over 3 times my /. UID?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:38AM
Banjo music.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @07:21PM
Some construction vehicles actually use intermittent white noise instead of beeps, as a warning sound when reversing. Because it's still noticeable but not as annoying. This is great if there's a multi-year construction project going on in your street. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=044hKqVTs_o [youtube.com]
It's also very easy to hear the direction it's coming from, not sure why that is.
Some electric vehicles already produce a sort of hissing sound. Not really annoying but clearly noticeable.