The Homa Files

Hybrids are so quiet they actually pose a danger to pedestrians – and especially the blind – who can’t hear the cars approaching.

Reportedly. this is already a concern in many states, particularly on the pedestrian-heavy East coast now joined the debate by fielding its own committee to study the matter.

One company has  designed a system to make hybrid cars produce whatever engine sound the owner might desire.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/safety/california-studying-ways-to-make-hybrids-louder/

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Electric and hybrid vehicles may be better for the environment, but the California Legislature says they’re bad for the blind.

It has passed a bill to ensure that the vehicles make enough noise to be heard by visually impaired people about to cross a street.

The Association of International Auto Manufacturers Inc., a trade group, is also studying the problem, along with a committee established by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The groups are considering “the possibility of setting a minimum noise level standard for hybrid vehicles.”  

The state Department of Motor Vehicles says more than 300,000 of the vehicles are on state roads. Officials say they don’t keep statistics on pedestrian accidents involving those vehicles.

http://www.manufacturing.net/News-California-Green-Cars-Need-More-Noise.aspx?menuid=284

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This entry was posted on September 2, 2008 at 7:03 am and is filed under Autos - Travel, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.