Electric cars may be too quiet for the safety minded
The Washington Post is reporting that a group of engineers at Nissan are trying to figure out how to add a little toot or whistle to the soon-to-come electric Leaf. The car is too quiet, they say. It could pose safety problems.
It's ironic considering that for years, engineers tried to make car less noisy. If you're on the street and an electric hybrid like the Toyota Prius comes by running on its battery, you can't hear a peep.
Tesla has already said it will not add noise to its electric Roadster. No word from the other car electric makers.
Congress is considering legislation to set some kind of safety standard since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the electric cars are 50 percent more likely to be involved in accident with a pedestrian. The Post says there's little actual evidence because there aren't that many electric cars on the road.
So, do we need the noise? Would you prefer the quiet?
Associated Press photo of the Leaf
Comments
My wife and I both drive Priuses (an '02 "Classic" and an '05 Gen 2) and we've often found ourselves sneaking up on oblivious pedestrians in parking lots. A little patience, and maybe a toot on the horn if needed, seems to work fine.
Posted by: Frank Roylance | September 23, 2009 11:51 AM
The electric car's silence should be considered a benefit to reduce the clatter of urban noise. Its a quality of life enhancement. So no. I do not think there should be an added noise legislation foe Electric Vehicles.
Posted by: Hal Halvorson | September 23, 2009 6:06 PM
I just wonder what Frank Roylance would say if a Prius came up behind his young son and knocked him down?
Posted by: Jon Harrap | September 24, 2009 8:22 AM
Jon Harrap, there have been only 11 Prius-pedestrian fatalities between 2001-2007. This rate is lower than the pedestrian fatality rate per 100 million miles than the NHTSA reports. In short, the Prius is safer than ordinary cars ... as far as pedestrian deaths. This came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Accident Reporting System. So Jon Harrap, you are more likely to be killed by a pickup or SUV than a Prius and that is the facts based upon real accident data.
Posted by: Bob Wilson | September 24, 2009 11:59 PM
If such an accident occurred I would say the driver was negligent, and sue. I fail to see what the noise volume of the car's engine has to do with it. The pedestrian always has the right of way. If there's a human in your path, you slow down, honk if need be, and make sure they're out of the way before you proceed.
Posted by: Frank | September 29, 2009 4:37 PM
I agree with Frank. Are we going to require bicycles to make more noise next? I have just missed being hit by someone on a quiet bike more than once, but it is their responsibility to ride carefully, watching out for pedestrians.
Posted by: Dahlink | October 10, 2009 11:59 AM
I worked at a place that installed warning sounds on electric fork trucks. With all the noise coming at you from every direction you still had no idea if something was going to hit you unless you paid attention to where you were going.
Posted by: David Wallace | March 17, 2010 11:10 AM