European Union: Electric Vehicles Must Have “Noise Makers” for Pedestrians
Electric vehicles (EVs) have been making a lot of noise in the news lately, but the biggest problem with battery-powered cars might actually be their lack of noise. When traveling at low speeds, it’s quite difficult to hear an electric vehicle because their engines are much quieter than gas-powered cars that require fire and explosions to function correctly. The lack of noise emitted by EVs has sadly caused many pedestrian deaths, which is precisely why the EU is working on legislation to address this issue.
The EU’s new rules state that all EVs must be equipped with an Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) so that pedestrians can hear them traveling at low speeds. This rule will affect all EVs, not just new cars that are manufactured after the rule takes effect. It’s sort of ironic because most EV manufacturers pride themselves on reducing noise pollution, but now they are being forced to contribute to it. In Europe, noise pollution is the second most harmful environmental stressor after air pollution — Let’s hope the EU doesn’t force EV manufacturers to start increasing carbon emissions.
Jokes aside, EVs that are equipped with AVAS devices will make the road much safer for pedestrians who struggle with vision problems or blindness.
Tesla is one of the car manufacturers at the forefront of this international snafu, and many suspect that founder Elon Musk is looking to approach this issue from a unique angle. The Tesla Model 3 features a speaker grill on the underside of the vehicle, which will be used to create artificial noise to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Knowing Elon, it is unlikely that the Tesla Model 3’s AVAS will sound anything like a “traditional” engine.
