Electric cars must emit alert sounds under new U.S. rules aimed at accident prevention - TomoNews
TomoNews US
2016-11-16
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WASHINGTON — Electric vehicles and hybrids must give off an alert sound at low speeds under new ‘quiet car’ regulations finalized by the U.S. government on Monday.
The new federal rules require ‘quiet cars’ to emit alert sounds at speeds of up to around 19 miles per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Electric vehicles and hybrids must be fitted with external speakers that will help alert pedestrians, cyclists and the blind to their presence.
The alert sounds are not required at higher speeds because other factors, such as tire noise and wind noise, are considered sufficient warnings by the NHTSA.
Hybrid vehicles are 19 percent more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash than gas-powered vehicles, according to the NHTSA.
The NHTSA estimates that the new rules will prevent 2,400 injuries a year by 2020.
All new hybrid and electric vehicles must be designed in compliance with the rules by September 2019 but the government has not specified what the alerts should sound like.
The new federal rules require ‘quiet cars’ to emit alert sounds at speeds of up to around 19 miles per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Electric vehicles and hybrids must be fitted with external speakers that will help alert pedestrians, cyclists and the blind to their presence.
The alert sounds are not required at higher speeds because other factors, such as tire noise and wind noise, are considered sufficient warnings by the NHTSA.
Hybrid vehicles are 19 percent more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash than gas-powered vehicles, according to the NHTSA.
The NHTSA estimates that the new rules will prevent 2,400 injuries a year by 2020.
All new hybrid and electric vehicles must be designed in compliance with the rules by September 2019 but the government has not specified what the alerts should sound like.
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