Electric cars are quiet. That is one of the good features and it is perhaps the reason to buy one. It is also a danger to pedestrians if these super fast, nearly quiet vehicles came around. Especially for those which don’t expect that and blind people.

The discussion in the US and in the UN about adding sounds to silent cars isn’t finished yet! That shows the latest proposals from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) they published a list of possible sounds. (ICE sounds)

http://www.nhtsa.gov/SampleSounds

“…recognizable as a vehicle in operation due to requirements in the proposal for increasing sound level and pitch shifting with vehicle speed, as well as the innate characteristics associated with a moving vehicle.”

Automakers criticises the proposed sounds were too loud, and that most of a vehicle’s noise above 12 mph is generated by the tire anyway. The required car sounds should be up to 20 km/h (18.6 mph)

I think it will take some time to be more attentive, but that shouldn’t be the a problem, if noisy cars are banned!

What do you think?