Silent Hybrids And EVs Poised To Make Noise

They are simply trying to grab a seat on a moving bill versus the one sitting in committee:
NASA and Justice Assist Toyota Inquiry - NYTimes.com

They really don't care how it gets done as long as they "Bell the Hybrid."

Regardless of their tactics, the evidence of a hybrid hazard remains thin to the point of nonexistent compared to the 4,000 annual pedestrian deaths. If successful, the results will be the same, our country will continue to ignore the numbers and mechanics of pedestrian deaths having "solved the problem," a Potemkin solution.

Bob Wilson

 

For crying out loud. I have had other vehicles that are just as quiet when coasting at low speed. Let's tag them too! And what about the bicyclists? They could do some serious damage. Oh hell, let's just tag everything to be on the safe side...

 

Let them do it, I say. Even if a moot issue, whatever is perceived as negative will be negative.

Having the hardware built-in means that we will be able to hack it. Like putting a lion's Roar on acceleration and a cat's purring when idle.

Think of the possibilities - and fun. Mass produced this hardware will be less than 5$ per car.

My fav: Crazy Frog's (annoying thing) race car sound effect.

 

Maybe I can have 'Comin Through!!' as I floor the pedal in PWR mode.

 

Don't presume the implementation.

You are thinking of an 'add on' when it could be implemented using a vehicle critical system, say the horn or integrated into other vehicle, critical systems. The simplest implementation is software that 'bleeps' or 'clicks' the horn. Short of installation of an independent horn, there would be no way to override it. Other options include but are not limited to:

• mount the inverter coolant motor in front of the radiator frame so it now makes a louder, more engine-like noise (espresso machine motor sound)
• run the fans so they 'stall' and make a noise at low speeds
• mount turn signal and flasher relays co-located with turn signal lights and have software activate them when braking or stopped
• run the North American Prius engines at low speeds with an increase in fuel consumption

Do not presume the advocates are as stupid as their desire for noise generation. Even the venal and corrupt have clever moments. Legislated noise generators are unlikely to be easily defeated.

Bob Wilson

 

i had a caddy (CTS maybe?? was newer with the weird backend look) come up next to me at Costco on Tues. other than tire noise (which was very minimal) it made no discernible noise at all. only when it started turning at the end of the aisle did i hear increased tire noise and probably power steering pump maybe??

should we include them? what is the noise level we need to look at? just looking at a type of vehicle should not be the determining factor. it should on a case by case factor using worst case scenario like low speed movements in parking lots. that way, nearly all vehicles except diesels can be included.

 

Here is the Google alert:

Plenty of 'noise' from the media.

Bob Wilson

 

I'm ready.

 

June 9, the Senate Committee voted out S.3302 'with an amendment.' I haven't read the text but no doubt it is identical to the House bill, H.R. 5381. Senator Kerry brought it in and claimed 'these hybrid cars have twice the accident rate as others.'

Bob Wilson

 

Think of it as a type of prostate exam. There's no stopping it, and the more you struggle, the more painfull it becomes. So you might as well relax ... because what's coming is coming.


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A prostrate exam has a purpose as prostrate cancer is real. So the answer is to have a female, family doctor . . . smaller fingers and they had to work harder in medical school.

Not my style. I hate bullies and liars and this bill is based upon the misapplication of science. I'm truly sorry for the author of the September NHTSA report not because he didn't do a reasonable job but the conclusions in the report are being misused.

Understand that making future hybrids, followed by all cars, artificially louder will eventually come up against reality testing. This is inevitable based upon the best data available but the dead won't complain.

Bob Wilson

 

I hear ya Bob. But just like when GM bought up all the trollies decades ago, under sham companies, then crushed all of them just so GM could sell tons of busses ... you can't stop big money. Protest all you want, but but don't forget to jump before the process moes you over.

 

I'm at the same risk as any other pedestrian. By consuming NHTSA and other resources on this dead-end, the pedestrian death toll will continue unabated. We've been running noise generating cars for over 100 years and the pedestrian death toll shows the failure. Sometimes people have to experience what I call "reality training."

Bob Wilson

 

I wrote to some Congressmen and Senators last month asking them to please take a little closer look at this issue. I explained that other cars were very nearly as silent as the hybrids, that the information they had been provided by lobby groups and the NHTSA was not accurate, and that adding noise pollution was not going to make anyone safer.

None of them even acknowledged receipt of my communication. My experience has been that the only time these people will acknowledge your existence is when they agree with you. I think this is a "done deal" we are going to get noise rather it helps anyone or not, and once a mistake such as this is made they will never admit they were wrong. We will have extra noise from now on for as long as we drive hybrid cars.

I wouldn't count on being able to disconnect the noise maker either, I suspect there will be severe penalties for doing so. Hybrid car advocates are not organized and we are a very small minority. It does not matter to our elected representatives that we are right and that what we tell them makes sense, their minds are made up and they don't want to be confused with facts.

 

just my .02

putting sounds on cars will make them a turn-off to people. first time buyers will shy away because of the repulsive sounds. we (and others) may not find this too bad because we'll simply hack it. a person switching from ICE to EV may not buy the EV because it sounds stupid... compared to a nice quiet, almost luxury like, EV.

i've heard the sounds they are supposedly adding to the leaf. everyone i know thinks it sounds hideous.

 

Nissan posted on their twitter account that the Leaf will have a modulating sound when backing up . i guess its better than that "garbage truck beep" that my Zenn has. like the Prius, the beep is on the inside which makes it audible for people outside, irritating for people inside

 

Agreed. Whether it's a Stop Sign, slow down for the sharp turn sign, School Zone, whatever, all laws are written in blood. So after noisy EV's fail to make a dent in the blood letting, we can again move forward.

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