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Transportation Government Power United States

Drivers May Choose Electric Car Alert Sounds, US Proposal Says (cnet.com) 144

Posted by BeauHD from the vroom-vroom dept.
The NHTSA is now proposing drivers be able to select an electric-car alert sound at speeds under 18.6 mph. "NHTSA wants the public's opinion 'on whether there should be a limit to the number of compliant sounds that a manufacturer can install in a vehicle and what that limit should be,'" adds CNET. From the report: As of this month, automakers are required to equip 50% of their "quiet cars," which applies to silent electric vehicles, with an alert noise at low speeds. The rules, first brought about in 2010, have been delayed for years, but come 2020, every quiet vehicle will need the alert mechanism. Regulators concluded cars make enough noise from tire and wind noise to forego the alert above 18.6 mph (that's 30 kph in case you're wondering why so precise a figure). Think of the sound as a gentle reminder when strolling through parking lots with cars backing out of spaces and crawling through the area. It's nice to hear a car approach, and something we take for granted with internal-combustion engines. NHTSA said the alert will help prevent 2,400 injuries annually.
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Drivers May Choose Electric Car Alert Sounds, US Proposal Says More

Drivers May Choose Electric Car Alert Sounds, US Proposal Says

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  • when my Prius is making all kinds of noise?

  • Because that would be really great for stop and go traffic..

  • La Cucaracha horns?

  • Really though, I have long thought those ricers should put their big sound systems to good use covering up that fart-can noise with synthetic V-8 (or 12 or whatever you fancy) goodness. I can't see why this wouldn't also be good for electrics. It might even boost redneck uptake.

  • Fine (Score:5, Funny)

    by CaptainLugnuts ( 2594663 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @08:10PM (#59201386)

    I'll choose John Cage's 4:33.

  • Jetsons sounds (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Spamalope ( 91802 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @08:10PM (#59201388)
    As long as my car sounds like the Jetsons saucers...
  • This article should be a poll. I mean Enterprise warp engine noise, maybe the TARDIS, plain Chevy V8, or perhaps something funny like extra loud fart noises(you listening Elon, I want a farting Tesla!!!). I imagine the range of what people would choose might make the noise less effective, as people wouldn't know what to listen for.

  • That whew-whew sound from Knight rider. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by scubamage ( 727538 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @08:16PM (#59201402)
    It's the only obvious answer.

  • The (new) sound of traffic jams... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Arzaboa ( 2804779 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @08:35PM (#59201448)

    The last thing I want to hear is all of my neighbors cars beeping every time they come home.

    I get that NHTSA's goal is to never let anyone die under their watch, but it shouldn't be at the cost of driving people crazy.

    --
    I really love peace and quiet. -- Barry Sanders

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by ColaMan ( 37550 )

      all of my neighbors cars beeping every time they come home

      There's less-intrusive noises, such as the white-noise "shhht! shhht!" that some garbage trucks make when reversing, instead of the obnoxious beep that carries for miles at 4am. Something like that would be OK.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        The Nissan Leaf makes a gentle hissing noise. It's not loud or particularly annoying, but it lets you know the car is there and moving.

        Some other EVs make fake fossil car noises. Hyundai seem to be fond of that for some reason. Jaguar do it too, I guess because their target market enjoys such things even in fossil cars. Yeah, quite a few fossils pipe artificial engine noise over the sound system too.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by jlv ( 5619 )

          The LEAF's "gentle hissing sound" is very annoying, but it was not as bad as the LEAF's loud backup beep. I was so happy when LeafSpyPro gained the ability to let me disable both of those sounds in my car.

      • Yes. I've heard a similar sound from the electric carts in airport terminals.

    • The last thing I want to hear is all of my neighbors cars beeping every time they come home.

      Expect this to align with EU regulations because why would the automakers bother with multiple options. I.e. it will be quieter than the engine noise they currently make and less intrusive.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by gtall ( 79522 )

      Nah, they'll have Ride of the Valkyries installed for your listening pleasure.

  • Electric cars and there ilk still make noise at low speeds, it's just their dinosaur-burning brethren that make a LOT more noise and thus drown them out. But even if they didn't, there's this handy device attached to ALL cars since the 1900's that will solve this problem: It's called a Horn.

  • I want mine to play The Imperial March.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by habig ( 12787 )
      The "shark is coming" music from "Jaws". That would make people look around.

      • The "shark is coming" music from "Jaws". That would make people look around.

        Baby shark would be better at getting people to leave the area.

  • Porsche will charge you $500 for this. (Score:3)

    by whoever57 ( 658626 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @09:35PM (#59201514) Journal

    If you want to supply your own mp3 with engine sounds, that's a $500 option:

    https://electrek.co/2019/09/16... [electrek.co]

  • I want the weebly sound that the Jetson's car made.

  • Every owner chooses the same voice message: "Look at me driving an electric car! I'm better than all of you!"

  • Horse with carriage on cobblestone road... (Score:4, Informative)

    by mspring ( 126862 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @10:35PM (#59201604)
    ...is what I would like to choose as my electric car sound.

    • ...is what I would like to choose as my electric car sound.

      For my "idling" electric car going down the road, I'll chose the sound of an idling gas car with a good muffler going down the road. What, if the silent gas car is loud enough why isn't the silent electric car?

  • With custom sounds. Similar to this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n17B_uFF4cA

    Every so often it'll be funny. A street full of this from various companies? Kill me now....

  • You don't need a variety of annoying proprietary noises on your electric car, put some pool noodles on the bumper and run my dumb ass over when I don't get out of the way.

  • My 2011 first-generation Leaf already does this. The noise at low-speed is subtle, but it is a big help in areas with distracted parents dealing with kids running around and the hordes of iPhone-zombies roaming the streets. Electric cars are *really* quiet compared to ICE vehicles so it's easy to ignore the minimal tire road noise.

  • I vote for (Score:5, Funny)

    by ColaMan ( 37550 ) on Monday September 16, 2019 @10:52PM (#59201632) Journal

    the pac-man "wakka-wakka-wakka" sound.

  • And I say we make it the Ghost Busters siren.

  • We just have a guy walk in front of you waving a red flag...

  • Imagine a feature where you can select various car sounds. Have a variety of cars such as Ferrari, Mustang, Corvair, Yugo, or an old 1970 Dodge that lost its muffler (it happened to me). Have it sync with acceleration and braking like a gas car going through the gears.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by PPH ( 736903 )

      This is already a thing. Although I suspect, from the Youtube videos*, that the sound is played inside the cabin through the audio system. Not really audible outside the car.

      *Oddly, most of the posted videos seem to have been marked as 'private' since they went up.

  • One of the things I have long looked forward to is less noise from vehicles. I hear cars go past that have the entire, legally required, noise suppression system disabled or reversed to make the noise even louder. They do not sound powerful or flashy, they sound like agricultural machinery.

    The vehicles with the most admirable sound effects are ones that make very little noise. I like the sound of Jaguars as they are designed well and, at that price, well looked after. I don't need some moron to fit 4 tu

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by qeveren ( 318805 )

      I wonder if they'll be smart enough to specify acceptable frequency ranges for the mandated sounds, or if everyone will be able to get away with using [legal level] dB unhearable ultrasound.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by Tomahawk ( 1343 )

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
        http://www.unece.org/fileadmin... [unece.org]

        Basically the noise should be similar to the noise made by internal combustion engines, and can't be from a list (which includes music and insect sound)

        One of the stated reasons for the sounds is "so that blind people and other pedestrians and cyclists can hear them coming and detect from which direction they are approaching", so intentionally choosing a sound that is outside of the normal human hearing range could be akin to manslaughter, I

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Tomahawk ( 1343 )

      So the cars only need to make a noise when going slowly, not when going fast. So a car going a 60 can be silent.

      The whole point of the noise is to alert pedestrian that there's a car approaching. If you are in an area with pedestrians, you're going to be driving slowly. The noise is to allow people to hear that a car is approaching, because we are used to hearing cars approach. So used to it that if we don't hear anything we don't bother looking before crossing a road. So the noises are very much neces

  • Modern ones are practically engine-silent at these speeds, too.

  • 18.6 mph (Score:3)

    by Tomahawk ( 1343 ) on Tuesday September 17, 2019 @05:09AM (#59202348) Homepage

    18.6 mph = 30 km/h (stated above, actually)

    Interesting to see a US law come in to force that's actually based on km/h. I guess this is likely an International agreement that all countries have implemented to be the same, like 'red means stop' on traffics lights, and order of pedals in a car.

  • So THAT is why the e-tron sounded like a wired V12 in end game. :P

  • progress (Score:2)

    by sad_ ( 7868 )

    electric cars, read or watch any review and what is one of the first things being mentioned - it's so quiet!
    and that is a great thing, for everybody.
    why would you want these cars to make a noise and on top of that, have the sound it makes selectable?
    does anybody remember the early cell-phone days? with all those custom ringtones, yeah, that was fun on the bus/train.
    now imagine this in the city streets.

    also i don't know why cars would have to make a noise, but for example bicycles don't have to?
    won't all ele

  • What is wrong with Star Wars light sabre sound on loop?

  • Never Gonna Give you Up (Score:3)

    by LatencyKills ( 1213908 ) on Tuesday September 17, 2019 @06:37AM (#59202492)
    Hit by a Prius playing Rick Astley. A new meaning to Rick rolled?

  • The articles didn't provide the link, but here is where you can provide your comment so that the government actually considers it: https://www.federalregister.go... [federalregister.gov]

  • The US maintains that loud pipes don't save motorcyclists, but cars should make noise?
  • The VW GTI has a little speaker next to the firewall that makes interior engine noise: https://www.popularmechanics.c... [popularmechanics.com]

    • The Mustang GT fastback I drove in 2015, seemed to have a tube going from the air intake through the firewall. I could not trace it to anything engine related. I assumed they used it to âoeenhanceâ the engine sound inside, perhaps using a membrane/speaker. IDK

  • My car to sound like a TIE fighter.

  • If my electric car can't sound like a Jetsons car [youtube.com] then what is the 21st century even for?

  • Think of the sound as a gentle reminder when strolling through parking lots with cars backing out of spaces and crawling through the area.

    So.... larger vehicles are already required to make White Noise when backing; ISO 6165 travel alarms --- And studies have shown that
    it is easier for people to determine which direction the vehicle is coming from when using White Noise rather than beepers or other sounds. So why not just require they sense ambient sound to play White Noise at the correct volume and

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