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Nissan Gives Electric Cars Blade Runner Audio Effect
mateuscb writes "A campaign backed by automakers and some lawmakers to make electric or hybrid cars noisier in a bid to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists has taken a strange, Blade Runner-type twist. Nissan sound engineers have announced that the Leaf electric car set for release next year will emit a 'beautiful and futuristic' noise similar to the sound of flying cars — or 'spinners' — that buzz around 2019 Los Angeles in Ridley Scott's dystopian thriller based on a Philip K. Dick science fiction novel."
From the article ~ "Some reports suggest that in the future, car owners will download a sound for their car the way many consumers buy ring tones for their cellphones."
Oh crap, now we have to listen to cars playing crappy tunes on bad speakers all the time. Can't their be a law against this proposed. I think a few dead pedestrians is worth the loss of the noise pollution.
... or only have it come on, when a sensor(s) actually detect a human/animal nearby (visually, thermally etc.).
Your comment ridicules itself.
But at TFS says, it's a 'safety feature', I'd imagine you could 'turn it off' about as easily as the airbags or that thing that beeps when you're in reverse, and that's not without messing with wiring.
They actually bother to look, unlike many pedestrians who listen for traffic. Cyclists have to brake sharp or take evasive action to avoid these clowns.
But one of the nice things about electric cars is that they're so quiet. Can you turn the sound off?
If it can't be turned off, then I, for one, won't be buying one. Modern life is noisy enough as it is.
Technically... It already does and that appears to be the "problem". :-)
This issue is ridiculous and assumes that the blind and inattentive notice any sound all the time. My Civic is super quite at slow speeds. Should it also be *required* to be louder?
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I don't like cars sneaking up on me when I'm on foot. Do you?
Then stop walking in the middle of the road.
Will this result in a new market where you can D/L different sounds for your car? Gives rice car a new meaning. Drive downtown late friday night with a honda that sounds like a Murcielago 660 and see people look for the Ghost Car.
I think i like this idea. I think the most popular sound will be "fart".
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At least 75% of the pedestrians don't look *either* way.
The mouth breathers are of the belief that 8 oz of striping paint will stop 3 tons of Detroit steel.
TFA links to the National Federation for the Blind's article about this topic. Here's the most relevant snippet: >> While there are no national data on pedestrian injuries or deaths related to low-noise cars... Ok - guys: get some data! This is just plain ridiculous to pass a law based on a mere assumption that quiet cars might cause a problem. If someone can prove that this is a plague upon the nation - great; pass the law. But otherwise this is a fake problem. I've owned a civic hybrid and a prius. Neither were really noticeably quieter (even when the prius was operating electric only) than your typical accord / camry. Does anyone have any data at all anywhere showing the increased incident rate for quiet cars? I'd love to see it, but I'm pretty sure it's not there.
I created this account just so I could comment on this story
It's the drivers' responsibility to maintain control of their vehicles and be cognizant of sudden dangers in the street. Any attempts delegate this responsibility onto pedestrians, wildlife, and falling trees are completely retarded.
I agree that this is the driver's responsibility, but considering we're talking about stopping people from getting smooshed by cars, is alerting pedestrians as a sort of back up system really that objectionable?
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Try being blind and then guessing when it's safe to cross the road...
Yes because we know a driver never speeds past a red light, ever.
That situation would be likely to kill a seeing person as well.
Wheels on asphalt are astonishingly quiet. Have a friend try it out on you if you don't believe me - run a car up a small incline, then put it in neutral and turn off the engine. Close your eyes, tell him to go, and open your eyes when you can hear it. Do this a block away from a busy street, for added realism. See how close he is.
And if they're blind?
Not so much. I have a really loud stereo because *I* like it, not because I want attention; quite the opposite actually, I get really uncomfortable and stressed out when people focus on me (obviously, given that i'm posting here). A slashdot user with a loud stereo shouldn't be surprising... I like music, math, physics and electronics, and a serious car stereo is an obvious intersection of these sets. As a geek it's pretty exciting to blow a 65 amp fuse, to play with bridged amps, a big capacitor and 1-gauge wire.
the most powerful intellect is that unbounded by indubitable preconception
As someone who used to commute via bike, I say it's pretty freaky having a hybrid come whooshing by, even if it's in a different lane. Almost as bad as a city bus, which has it's engine in the back so you don't hear it until the bus is practically on top of you. A little audible warning would be nice. It doesn't need to sound like a Harley to be effective.
A post a day keeps productivity at bay.
Electric cars should have the noise of cars.
If you step out on to the crosswalk distractedly, it's my responsibility as a driver to stop. I've never had a problem doing this. And if I'm so close that I can't stop for the crosswalk, that means I'll be through it before the pedestrian has walked out past the parked cars. It's my duty as a driver to slow down near crosswalks and intersections, in case I need to yield.
Where I as a driver shouldn't have to be on high alert is in the middle of the road with no crosswalk in sight (excluding school zones, residential streets filled with kids, etc...). Pedestrians have no business jaywalking right in front of cars, even absentmindedly. I can't stop if I'm driving the speed limit and you step out right in front of me where I couldn't have expected you. I assume this was the physics problem gp was referring to.
So, if you're in the crosswalk, cross with every assurance that I'll make sure I stop in time. If you jaywalk, however, make sure you do it behind me or I'll unavoidably run you over. It's a matter of respecting existing agreements.
"hit the anchors and come to a dead stop in twenty feet just because some asshole saunterd out into the road because "the law" says he's allowed is absolutely ridiculous."
Uhhh if he's not jaywalking and reached the corner first and you are at a distance where it is safe for you to stop then yeah.... You really should stop...
If you are driving at a speed through an intersection where you are unable to stop if something comes out then you are a danger and will hopefully have your license taken before you kill anyone.
People crossing at the crosswalk aren't idiots. The right of way is NOT determined by who dies or everyone would be driving tanks and walking anywhere would be completely impossible. Main st in my town is a 60zone with lots of cars, the way you are talking you sound like you'd be happy splitting the city into essentially little islands.
As someone who used to commute via bike, I say it's pretty freaky having a hybrid come whooshing by, even if it's in a different lane. Almost as bad as a city bus, which has it's engine in the back so you don't hear it until the bus is practically on top of you. A little audible warning would be nice. It doesn't need to sound like a Harley to be effective.
May be better for you to start using a rear view mirror. Just like trucks, cars, motorbikes and mopeds. Or a rear view camera if you want to be high tech. Perhaps with an education campaign. It's crazy to deliberately make noise when cities are already too loud as it is. Particularly in traffic jams or late at night. I'm really looking forward to the day when cities have minimal air pollution and minimal sound pollution.
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Insisting on absolute safety is for people who don't have the balls to live in the real world.
-- Mary Shafer, risks researcher, NASA