After the U.S. Congress voted to require federal safety regulators to set minimum sound levels from electric (EV) and gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, President Barack Obama officially signed into law the bill that will help protect pedestrians and blind people.
The new law requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish "performance requirements for an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle operating at low speeds".
Drivers won't have to activate sounds; vehicles will do it automatically.
NHTSA chief David Strickland said its review of data from 12 states shows that hybrid electric vehicles do have a significantly higher rate of crashes with pedestrians "than internal combustion engines for certain manoeuvres — like slowing or stopping, backing up, entering or leaving a parking space and making a turn.
The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers backed the measure, as did the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
The Chevrolet Volt has a chirping sound the driver can activate and the Nissan Leaf features a similar system.
With the upcoming arrival of new hybrids and EVs north of the border, Auto123.com asked Transport Canada whether such a law will eventually be implemented here as well.
Senior Communications Advisor Maryse Durette said that TC is ''aware of the concerns about quiet cars, including EVs and hybrids travelling at low speeds, from a pedestrian and cyclist safety standpoint. We are collaborating with the United States government and the U.N.'s working group on quiet road transport vehicles in hope of finding a solution''.
According to her, it's in the best interest of everyone involved that said solution applies globally, not just at local and regional levels. All vulnerable road users around the world need to clearly recognize the type of artificial noise produced by these vehicles.
Source: The Detroit News, Transport Canada
The new law requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish "performance requirements for an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle operating at low speeds".
Drivers won't have to activate sounds; vehicles will do it automatically.
NHTSA chief David Strickland said its review of data from 12 states shows that hybrid electric vehicles do have a significantly higher rate of crashes with pedestrians "than internal combustion engines for certain manoeuvres — like slowing or stopping, backing up, entering or leaving a parking space and making a turn.
The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers backed the measure, as did the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
The Chevrolet Volt has a chirping sound the driver can activate and the Nissan Leaf features a similar system.
With the upcoming arrival of new hybrids and EVs north of the border, Auto123.com asked Transport Canada whether such a law will eventually be implemented here as well.
Senior Communications Advisor Maryse Durette said that TC is ''aware of the concerns about quiet cars, including EVs and hybrids travelling at low speeds, from a pedestrian and cyclist safety standpoint. We are collaborating with the United States government and the U.N.'s working group on quiet road transport vehicles in hope of finding a solution''.
According to her, it's in the best interest of everyone involved that said solution applies globally, not just at local and regional levels. All vulnerable road users around the world need to clearly recognize the type of artificial noise produced by these vehicles.
Source: The Detroit News, Transport Canada