Mexican Media Brands
U.S. Mulls EV Noise Alert Options
The U.S. is considering an automakers petition to allow drivers to choose the warning tone their electric vehicles make.
#regulations #hybrid
Share
The U.S. is considering an automakers petition to allow drivers to choose the warning tone their electric vehicles make.
Congress ordered in 2010 that EVs emit a warning tone for pedestrians when traveling at speeds below about 19 mph (30 kph).
The standard, which wasn’t finalized until last year, requires that carmakers equip at least half the EVs they sell in the U.S. with sound alerts, beginning this month. All new EVs must have such systems by next September.
NHTSA estimates that fitting cars with the waterproof speakers needed to emit the warning sound will cost carmakers $40 million per year. The technology is expected to prevent 2,400 injuries per year.
RELATED CONTENT
-
U.S. in No Hurry to Regulate Autonomous Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the emerging technology involved in self-driving cars is too new to be tightly regulated.
-
Feds Probe Another Tesla Crash Involving Autopilot Feature
Federal investigators are looking into another crash involving a Tesla Model S electric sedan that was operating in semi-autonomous mode.
-
Toyota Finds a Mystery in Occupant Safety for Self-Driving Vehicles
Toyota Motor Co. says its study of how people in self-driving cars react to a near crash proves it will take far more research to improve the safety of occupants in such vehicles, Automotive News reports.