WH passes rule requiring sounds in 'quiet cars' by 2020

[Joanna + 68]

White House finalized rules that will require “quiet cars” like electric vehicles and hybrids to emit alert sounds to warn pedestrians of their approach, extending to 2020 the deadline for full compliance. The ruling for "quiet cars" — electric and hybrid vehicles that don't create the same sounds as engines powered by fossil fuels — mandates that car manufacturers install external speakers on vehicles to emit a fake car sound. DOT estimates that hybrid vehicles are 19 percent more likely to collide with pedestrians than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. The agency estimates there are about 125,000 pedestrians and cyclists injured each year on U.S. roads.

[Stephen + 67]

125,000 pedestrians were not injured by grandma in Prius for sure

[李伟王芳 + 77]

I applaud the initiative, but can we set some priorities here 

[李伟王芳 + 77]

7 minutes ago, Stephen said:

125,000 pedestrians were not injured by grandma in Prius for sure

Right. Quiet cars don't hit people... people hit people. A car by itself never hurt anyone. Same with GUNS

[Stephen + 67]

I want mine to sound like a Tie Fighter.

[李伟王芳 + 77]

Well, the funny part is that this came from Obama when the democrats were in charge of congress. Trump threw this initiative out

[Meanwhile + 49]

Nissan already has a short vid with their all electric of the future. Sounds like the THX sound before a movie

[Joanna + 68]

Look both ways and problem solved! I wonder how much they spent on this regulation

[Rodent + 1,424]

26 minutes ago, Joanna said:

Look both ways and problem solved! I wonder how much they spent on this regulation

Except for those who can't look both ways. My daughter is legally blind, and relies on many things to alert her to dangers when traveling about, including listening for oncoming traffic. It's really not a bad idea. Also I'm thinking about kids in general here. Not always remembering to look both ways, sound is yet another alert. I'm not saying that a law requiring them to incorporate sound is the way to go, just suggesting that perhaps there is a bit more than the simple "look both ways" solution. I'm generally speaking anti-regulation, but as always with new tech, there are challenges that will need to be addressed.

[Joanna + 68]

Very telling that industry pushed so hard to shut down the research, they likely know that some nasty things were about to be discovered.