noise generation

In all seriousness. I agree with most on here. The artificial noise is just unwarranted. If the ambient noise around the car is louder than the noise generator, then we are back to square one.

I also agree that this law unfairly targeted EV's and Hybrids. I have a friend who has a Jeep Liberty CRD (diesel). The engine is a Mercedes diesel. The Modern Mercedes Diesel is a very quiet engine. The small amount of noise it makes is quieter than my 2010 Prius. It is probably because the Prius's EV noise is very distinct. I have stood next to my friends Jeep Liberty CRD many times and wondered if it was even running, only to find out it was when he pulled away from me.

In the small North East Tennessee town that I live in, there are many, many owners of Prii. There have been many times I have known that someone in their Prius was approaching me. The electric motor makes a very distinct noise even with ambient background noise.

When the car is at a complete stop, it still makes electrical whining noise that almost all electric motors will make when they are semi-idle. The sound is also very distinct when the car starts rolling. The Prius is by no means a completely quiet car. Most luxury cars are a lot more quieter than the Prius or any EV out there.

 

Folks, you CANNOT disable this feature, if it is US Government mandated. If you hit & kill a kid on a bicycle and you've disabled that speaker, you could face manslaughter charges. I don't like it either, but that's the deal.

 

I think there's an opportunity here...

Think about the cell phones... for which people will spend money to buy a custom ring tone...

Can I pay 1.99$ to get a Hemi sound... or perhaps a 1955 sci-fi movie UFO sound? How about a TIE Fighter howling sound?

 

I like this idea.....
I certainly will adopt Gilbert's voice announcing " Prius coming"......

 

is it government mandated?

 

It is government mandated:

S 841: Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 signed into law Jan 4, 2011

 

dang! that's it, i'm voting for perry. he'll get rid of all safety regulations!

 

I want an unending loop of a voice saying "move blind guy!"

 

Deal breaker for me! What a joke!! btw, I thought blind people walk with a cane out in front? This makes no sense & i'm sure sales will reflect this..

 

It's not blind people I'm concerned with since they have very keen hearing. It's the many imbeciles walking, running, biking around with theirs ears fully plugged in, totally oblivious to their surroundings.

 

Yes, here we go with goverment protecting the many imbeciles walking, running, biking around with theirs ears fully plugged in, totally oblivious to their surroundings. Really? Use your horn if you are so concerned & drive responsible. I think at least it should have an on/off switch as in the video from Japan. It needs to be the drivers choice.

 

There are laws prohibiting wearing headphones while driving, but none for walking or running or biking on public streets. The worst though, are skateboarders.

 

I'd like mine to sound like George Jetson's flying car.

 

I read your post and, immediately, the Jetson's soundtrack started playing in my head...

 

I think Toyota, just wanted to get a head start on the noise maker. The law itself has a whole bunch of requirements to be met before it is required on cars at all. And depending on what is determined Toyota might have to change their noise maker. Could be louder or quieter. Yet to be determined. Basically the implementation is like this:

1. The Secretary of Transportation, has 18 month to come up with the rules for the noise maker. There are certain basic requirements stated in the law, type of sounds, loudness of sounds, when it has to come on and so on. Read the law it is short (Public Law 111-373).

2. The Secretary of Transportation has 36 months to implement the rules from enactment date. So time between now and 36 months.

3. The phase in requirement needs to give manufactures time to implement: “vehicles manufactured on or after September of the 1st of the calendar year that begins 3 years after the date on which the final rule is issued.”

4. The Secretary of Transportation needs to consult with the Environment Protection Agency to assure that it complies with existing noise requirements overseen by that agency.

5. They need to consult with consumer groups that are blind.

6. They need to consult with automobile manufactures.

7. The Secretary of Transportation needs to within 4 years of enactment of the law determine whether conventional motor vehicles should have noise makers also.


So unless I missed something none of this has been implemented yet. Toyota is doing this on their own, and it might have to change it in the future.

 

I was worried about driving a silent car - my first Prius - but now I feel better. I know I should always see every pedestrian but there's always a chance, and the more help the better.

And driving in a parking lot, behind oblivious pedestrians strolling down the middle of the aisle? I hate to honk at pedestrians, but this little bit of noise would be just the thing.

From other threads, it sounds like the noise can hardly be heard inside the car.

But I think the sound should be a Tesla coil. Oops - not Tesla (TM).

 

I fear for the deaf...

 

I fear for the people who have no fear of getting hit by a car.

 

(double post. Please delete)

 

Still won't help those who are "voluntarily" deaf and have their ear buds cranked way up.