A Big Name Weighs In on Hybrid/EV Noise

Good deal! Would you like some 'questions from the field?' For example,

• Where has the EV community been since the legislative effort started in the Spring of 2008? Background: I attended the June 23, 2008 hearing on "Quiet Cars" and other than the advocates of lower noise and professional audio experts, there was no one else there to offer opposition and precious few standing up against this effort. The audio experts pointed out how ineffective this additional noise will be due to 'masking' and the problem of detecting a tone in the background noise unless significantly higher sound levels are asserted.
• How best to combat this 'stealth' legislation? The legislation mandating noise on our hybrids has been brought in as 'amendments' and 'substitute' language with no formal hearings. The good things that are in H.R. 5381 and S. 3302 are being abused to bring in a more draconian version of the "Quiet Cars."
• Why does this effort look like the "Auto Alliance" is using this effort to 'ding' the Prius (2/3ds of all hybrids) as just another gasser industry attempt to slow up hybrids? We know many 'hybrid skeptics' could be traced directly or indirectly to auto industry and in particular, Bob Lutz of GM. But there were more than a few ready helpers to this effort against hybrids and the Prius in specific.
• When people see this effort to make hybrids noisy, what sort of support are you seeing? I follow news articles and have been pleased to see how ordinary, non-hybrid owners, usually in a ratio higher than two-to-one mock and make fun of this proposal to add noise. I suspect the poor polling is why it is being done as a 'stealth' effort.
• What is wrong with the 'safety' advocates? By that, I mean the NHTSA, Consumer Reports, and other 3d party safety advocacy groups who seem to be "OK" with adding noise without taking a critical look at the accident data. Dr. Christopher Hogan did pioneering work and I've been trying to add what I can. But even the NHTSA insurance cost data shows the Prius to be 3d least expensive in insurance cost in their class ... they really are safer cars. But the September 2009 NHTSA report is so full of caveats and marginal math, it is insane that it is cited by the advocates.

Perhaps a few others might have some questions to propose?

Bob Wilson

 

I suggest we require all bikes used on public streets to have playing cards attached to the spokes of both wheels in pairs...and they must be replaced every time it rains. Handle bar ringers or permanently mounted cow bells and flashing lights need to be studied.
Honestly, with all the real problems facing our nation this "issue" should be on the legislative calendar for 2020. It's no wonder politicians are held in such low regard.

PS Did anyone else notice the membership of the Auto Alliance ?

"The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 11 car and light truck manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen."

 

I had and also noted in an editorial posting that 97% of new car sales are piston-only power cars that can not be made quieter except at great engineering expense. So for the vast majority of new vehicles, raising the minimum sound level makes for an easier engineering task:

• manifolds, exhaust pipes, valve covers and mufflers - can be thinner or lighter weight
• piston-only vehicles no longer have to be quieter than the "Bell the Hybrid" level

The "Auto Alliance" is not our friend but our 'dealer' (as in drug pusher) selling us the cars they want to make, not the ones we want to buy. The Prius, 2/3ds of all hybrids, has been a game changer in that it brought luxury vehicle quiet to an affordable part of the market. That put pressure on the competing, piston-powered cars in an area they can't compete.

Bob Wilson

 

I think the most dangerous thing in parking lots are those huge trailer hitches that stick out 2 feet. How many times have you banged, or almost banged your shin on one? And it is worse on the trucks that are too large to even be parking in a normal parking spot.

If they mandate that I have to run a noise maker... they should right a law saying all trail hitches should be removed from their receiver hitch hole. It is very easy to do.

 

no, of course not.
1) any hint of advocating more noise is beyond comment
2) the silent issues gained most of their traction from that episode of The Office (just kidding...really sucks to have to post a disclaimer on everything i say)

BINGO!!! headlines;

"Pedestrian killed; Hit by a Cadillac Escalade While Avoiding a Nissan Leaf"

car or bike?? i go against a bike any day!! other than that, i agree with you 100%.... the most irritating noise of all (i personally dont mind Ice Cream trucks, the sound is pleasant enough...some are a bit loud) is that backup beep from garbage trucks which all started when kids were run over because they thought it was cool to play on one. (i guess their sense of smell was defective??)

wow, PC must be really building a reputation!!! Should we go for Costner now since he is now a major "greener?"

 

I ride my bike a lot. I always assume I'm invisible to cars. Likewise, when I drive my Prius, I am very aware that others may not see me. I always go around bikes with a lot of room and am always looking for pedestrians, especially children, who may not be paying attention.

I think someone has pointed out above, but a lot of walkers and runners are listening to music. They are already deaf to car noise and no noise maker on a Prius will solve that problem.

 

I LIKE the quiet of the hybrid. Its a selling point to me. When I want loud I have a car for that.

I LOVE driving around in the neighborhood or at the store with the windows down and my car makes no noise.

THERE IS ENOUGH NOISE AS IT IS.

Damn stupidity monster!!

 

To be honest I've never known well any blind person. Does a blind person know that it's time to cross just because they don't hear anything coming. I mean, there are bicycles and other quiet things around there.

About the not-blind peddestrians, c'on... you can't blame the fact that a car is quiet for your own stupidity. You have to LOOK, not guess and if your ipod doesn't let you walk safely, don't use it in the street. Some cyclists and pedestrians have the evil little thingy so loud that they wouldn't even hear an Hercules plane.

All this sounds to me more like "let's use these bunch of scared people to damage those products that make us sell less oil".

 

new accident avoidance system


no horn needed!