DETROIT (AP) - A government safety agency wants electric and hybrid
vehicles to make more noise when traveling at low speeds so pedestrians
can hear them coming.
The cars and trucks, which are far quieter than
conventional gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles, don't make enough
noise at low speeds to warn walkers, bicyclists and the visually
impaired, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday
in a statement.
The proposed rule would require the cars to make
additional noise at speeds under 18 miles per hour. NHTSA says the cars
make enough noise to be heard at higher speeds.
Automakers would be able to pick the sounds that
the cars make from a range of choices. Similar vehicles would have to
make the same sounds. And the government says pedestrians must be able
to hear the sounds over background noises.
The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed rule. The agency will use public input to craft a final rule.
NHTSA estimates that the new noise would prevent
2,800 pedestrian and cyclist injuries during the life of each model year
of electric and hybrid vans, trucks and cars.
The rule is required by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act that was passed by Congress in 2010.
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