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

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.

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: 2) by bzipitidoo on Wednesday November 16 2016, @10:23PM

    by bzipitidoo (4388) on Wednesday November 16 2016, @10:23PM (#427804) Journal

    I prefer separating pedestrians from cars entirely. Place all sidewalks at the 2nd or 3rd story level. No more crosswalks, have it all be bridges. Can use tunnels too.

    But I know that won't happen soon, if ever. We can't even be bothered to change all railroad crossings into underpasses or overpasses. Requiring school buses to stop at railroad crossings is a weak, band-aid solution.

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  • (Score: 2) by Aiwendil on Wednesday November 16 2016, @10:36PM

    by Aiwendil (531) on Wednesday November 16 2016, @10:36PM (#427817) Journal

    Would be better to place the cars in tunnels - it would deal with the noise from traffic, allow sub-city loading docks, and keep the nice outdoors available for the cyclists and pedestrians (would also cut back on effects of weather on traffic), and get rid of all those parking lots.

    But yeah, I agree that fast-/bullet-hispeed-trains, trains, trams, subways, roadvehicles and cyclists/pedestrians should all be separated. (Possible exception being buses and emergency-services to run at pedestrian/cyclist-level)

    • (Score: 2) by deimtee on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:55PM

      by deimtee (3272) on Thursday November 17 2016, @02:55PM (#428124) Journal

      Tunnels are subject to flooding, and pedestrian/cyclist bridges are much cheaper per mile.

      --
      If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.