Toyota Adds External Speakers To Warn Pedestrians

HockeyPuck writes "When I was a kid, playing with my matchbox cars, I used to say 'VROOOM VROOOM' to pretend my toy cars had big engines in them. Well it seems that Toyota has decided to do the same thing with the Prius by optionally installing, in Japan, external speakers to alert pedestrians of oncoming Priuses."

Comments

Only Priuses?

[Monkeedude1212]

So... You're admitting to it, right?

Re:Only Priuses?

[h00manist]

And do they go VROOM VROOM? That sound that legacy engines used to make, sort of like a SteamPunk car sound effect? I wonder if you can install a tailpipe and make real smoke, and get a radiator full of hot water and stuff. These electric engines are just so boring, they make no noises with water steam smoke etc like cars used to.

Re:Only Priuses?

[PunditGuy]

Forget mimicry. I want either Peter Weller (in a Robocop voice) or Patrick Warburton (in a Tick voice) to say "Step aside, citizen."

Re:Only Priuses?

[icebike]

So record the Corvette and play it on the Prius speakers.

Of course the crowd reaction will be one of rolling in the street laughing their asses off. But at least they were warned.

Re:Only Priuses?

[Cajun Hell]

So record the Corvette and play it on the Prius speakers.

Don't be silly. Users record things for the car to play? How do you know they'll pay the required royalties? If you want a Corvette cartone, then you can damn well pay $5 for it at the Toyota Store.

Re:Only Priuses?

[thrawn_aj]

It's not like trying to listen to a cat sneaking up behind you on a carpeted floor.

Let it go, Calvin =)

What does it play when acceleratng uncontrollably?

[Rockoon]

"ATTENTION PEDESTRIANS! This vehicle is accelerating uncontrollably while an elderly man panics in the drivers seat! Please make way!"

Also add horse sounds

[Ossifer]

They need to add the sounds of hooves and the cracking of whips too, for those of us not used to these newfangled horseless carriages...

Re:Also add horse sounds

[bsDaemon]

Can't you just hire someone to sit on top of the Prius and crack some coconuts together?

Re:Also add horse sounds

[blai]

where would you get a coconut?

Re:Also add horse sounds

[SleazyRidr]

Just take the lime out.

Begs for creative modification

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm so going to mod this to replace the motor sound with the sound of a playing card stuck in a bicycle wheel.

Re:Begs for creative modification

[NevarMore]

Tie Fighter engine noise

Takes out all the fun from old jokes

[A beautiful mind]

There was a campaign a while ago where people could suggest advertisement plots for some car brands. Some guy sent something like this in:

Scene: Blind 9 year old girl crossing the street.

Camera alternates between showing the closeup of the girl and showing the empty road.

Screen goes black and in a short while there is a loud noise as if someone was hit by a car.

The following appears on screen: "New Audi type foo. Very fast. Very quiet."

The guy didn't hear back about his plot suggestion for some reason.

Re:Takes out all the fun from old jokes

[Anonymous Coward]

There was a campaign a while ago where people could suggest advertisement plots for some car brands. Some guy sent something like this in:

Scene: Blind 9 year old girl crossing the street.

Camera alternates between showing the closeup of the girl and showing the empty road.

Screen goes black and in a short while there is a loud noise as if someone was hit by a car.

The following appears on screen: "New Audi type foo. Very fast. Very quiet."

The guy didn't hear back about his plot suggestion for some reason.

Probably because he was deaf.

Re:Horn?

[Rakshasa Taisab]

So you propose we introduce traffic laws that require cars to at all times be going above 30 km/h?

You don't need much speed to kill a kid or dog, and it'll just feel like a small hump in the road when you start dragging the corpse under your car..

Re:Just when you think...

[MrEricSir]

Noise pollution is better than pedestrian carnage pollution.

If they do, I want options!

[DarthVain]

Pick your Engine sound:

1) Default Camcord
2) Italian Sports Car
3) Half ton Truck
4) Harley Davidson Motorcycle
5) Tank
6) Horse and Buggy
7) Monty Python
8) Ice Cream Truck
9) VW anything
10) F1
11) Flubber
12)...

Re:If they do, I want options!

[geekoid]

It's a prius, there would be only one option:
"Look at me, I'm saving the environment, Look at me, I'm saving the environment, "Look at me, I'm saving the environment."

However, if given an option, I would choose:

"EXTERMINATE!"

Re:What does it play when acceleratng uncontrollab

[blair1q]

I'm not panicking, and it's not uncontrolled.

Learn to cross at the light, asshole.

Re:Horn?

[blair1q]

Then they won't mind the dent you leave in the hood.

Re:What does it play when acceleratng uncontrollab

[Sponge Bath]

...while an elderly man panics

Hey! Some of us Prius drivers are trying to score Death Race points, and this proposal will really impact our scores :-(

I knew I should have patented my idea

[beschra]

Ringtones for your hybrid car. Downloadable for 99 cents.

Re:$148? How about bicycle tech?

[Bobfrankly1]

Heck, why not just bolt a vuvuzela to the hood?

Because unlike a Toyota, a vuvuzela can stop.

Re:Horn?

[Bobfrankly1]

Those tires make almost no noise at all.

Do they make these tires in a wife-sized model?

Re:Horn?

[PNutts]

Last minute burst of acceleration...

They (Toyota) already have that covered.