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US Demands Electric Cars Make Noise at Low Speed

posted by martyb on Wednesday November 16 2016, @03:51PM   Printer-friendly
from the fake-engine-noises-FTW-Vrrrm-Vrrrm! dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

A US road safety body has demanded that electric cars travelling at low speed make a noise to warn pedestrians.

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.

An Anonymous Coward also wrote in to tell us:

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.

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  • (Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:13PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 16 2016, @05:13PM (#427615)

    If you can't deal with a few blinky lights, you have no business being on this website.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:03AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:03AM (#427917)

    If you can't deal with a few blinky lights, you have no business being on this website.

    SN gives me my daily dose of high-contrast flashing GIFs and loud autoplaying video loops.

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @04:22AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 17 2016, @04:22AM (#427957)

      ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen peepers!

          Das machine control is nicht fur gerfinger-poken und
          mittengrabben. Oderwise is easy schnappen der springenwerk,
          blowen fuse, und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
          Der machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur
          geverken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseenen
          keepen das cotten picken hands in das pockets,
          so relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

      • (Score: 1) by jIyajbe on Thursday November 17 2016, @09:21AM

        by jIyajbe (5615) on Thursday November 17 2016, @09:21AM (#428046)

        Oh man, I haven't seen this in twenty years! Thanks for the blast from the past!

        --
        "Don't blame the log for the fire." --Andrew Ratshin