EV Safety Sound Won’t Arrive Until 2018

Electric vehicles are whisper quiet, an attribute that can make them deadly to the visually impaired. 

Although a law was passed in 2011 that made it mandatory for automakers to have a sound for EVs and hybrids that alerts nearby pedestrians, the actual implementation of the rule has been delayed to about 2018. That’s because NHTSA has pushed the deadline back to make sure it hears comments from auto manufacturers and other concerned parties first.

Automakers are saying that NHTSA has given them very little time to develop and put into production compliant systems in time to meet a September 1, 2018 deadline.

SEE ALSO: Automakers Request Delay for Pedestrian Alert System

The sound is supposed to be “recognizable” as a motor vehicle and must be audible on any EV or hybrid travelling less than 18 mph. Some manufacturers, like Kia with the Soul EV, have already installed a sound alert on their vehicles, while many are waiting for the official rules from NHTSA to be made clear. Manufacturers want the noise to be pleasant to the passenger, while still being able to alert pedestrians to the danger.

[Source: Edmunds]

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