Electric cars are silent-running which for many people is a very good thing. It can potentially lead to some risk to the visually-impaired and other pedestrians however as some studies show.
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published in September reveled bicyclists and pedestrians are struck at a significantly higher rate by hybrid as opposed to conventional cars.
GM has created a special pedestrian alert signal for the Chevy Volt. ”It is an active system,” says Chief engineer Andrew Farah, meaning the driver must activate it. Passive systems produce a sound at all times. The Volt pedestrian alert sound is a light volume horn-like sound similar to the chirp of some cars keyless entry indicators. ”It has to be automotive,” says Farah referring to the quality of the tone.
The fist generation Chevy Volt will not be equipped with a passive alert system. Competitor Nissan has reportedly developed a system for its upcoming LEAF EV which sounds like a floating car from the Bladerunner movie. GM is looking at the possibility of passive alert for future Volt generations. Other electric automakers such as Tesla remain uncertain.
Today GM has announced that they formed a partnership with the National Federation for the Blind to identify what will be a “safe level of sound” for alerting visually impaired and other pedestrians to the approach of a silent running EV.
Meetings have begun earlier this year and are also aimed at protecting runners, cyclists, and children.
“We have significant background in the area of pedestrian alerts dating to our work on our first electric car, the EV1,” Farah said, “The most important thing is to listen to the people who will interact with these vehicles in everyday life.”
Deborah Kent Stein, who chairs the NFB’s Committee on Automobile and Pedestrian Safety, said, “A recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrated that the silent operation of hybrid vehicles is an issue for all pedestrians, not just the blind. In certain situations, electric or hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in collisions with pedestrians. The NFB looks forward to working with the safety agency in the crafting of appropriate standards establishing an acceptable level of minimum vehicle sound.”
“The National Federation of the Blind appreciates the opportunity to work with General Motors on this problem,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. “We urge all automobile manufacturers to work with the blind in designing vehicle sounds to alert us to the approach, speed and direction of vehicles so that both drivers and pedestrians can safely use America’s roadways.”
A low-level low-speed vehicular sound for EVs may be inevitable, though no formal federal regulations currently exist. Future legislation may arise in concert with input from the Society of Automotive engineers to develop a national standard.
A lack of consensus and standards among automakers could conceivably result in a virtual cacophony of discordant sounds once streets become filled with EVs from various automakers. Thus all cars should produce similar sounds, likely ruling-out the possibility of customizable “car tones,” as some pundits have speculated about.
Like it or not, the sound of silence appears to be on its way.
Below is GM’s video on the sound of the Volt:
Article Courtesty: www.gm-volt.com
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