A quiet horn is the way I see it to only solution to this problem. The fact that a EV is quiet is one of the biggest advantages. A quiet horn will solve all the possible problems and will NOT introduce any new problems.
Cobos
Cobos
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Should EVs Make Artificial Sounds at Low Speeds?
- Thread starter Brent
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- Electric Vehicles
DaveD
EVs Kick Gas!
The Vectrix electric scooter that is my current daily driver has a good implementation of this. A tap of the horn button will emit a muted horn sound that's not too loud or unpleasant to the ears; it's clearly meant to be used as a warning "hey, I'm quiet, so notice me" type of a sound. But if you press and hold down the horn button, it will emit the loud horn blast you would expect from it.
There's enough computer technology (CAN bus, DSP, etc.) in the Vectrix, that I believe this is not just some characteristic of the horn and that the horn button is simply wired directly to the horn. Its clearly distinguishing between short and long horn button presses and sending a deliberately short current/voltage pulse to the horn to get it to emit the muted sound.
Sounds good (pun intended)
I hope Tesla is listening (not a pun). My fear is that without such a dual stage horn that is showing that we are doing something about the "problem" that we will be forced into lame requirements like constantly emitted sounds.
Just wait till the first big news EV-Pedestrian fatality. It will be a lot better to hear the reporter say, "The driver did not use his warning horn" than the proclimation, "We need to make all Electric Cars noisy".
graham
Active Member
In lieu of a low tone horn, perhaps I can mount my bicycle bell on top of the side mirror for such occasions.
"ding ding!"
"ding ding!"
I think I've mentioned it before, but I think this would be a good feature on most cars. I've often wanted such a thing for those parking lot situations where you have clueless people walking around in your way and not paying attention to their surroundings. You want to let them know you're there with out having to be so obnoxious as blowing a loud horn or yelling at them out the window. :wink:
A quiet horn gets my vote.
Then again, I always had a soft spot for Commander Straker's Car on the UFO TV series
Click the link and scroll down for some sound clips :smile:
UFO Sound Effects
Then again, I always had a soft spot for Commander Straker's Car on the UFO TV series
Click the link and scroll down for some sound clips :smile:
UFO Sound Effects
Maybe this is an application for the "Audio Spotlight"?
Audio Spotlight - Put sound where you want it.
Audio Spotlight - Put sound where you want it.
A quiet horn is obviously going to be much cheaper to implement, but I do love this audiospotlight idea
But they do need to make it smaller and probably more durable. Audio Spotlight - Put sound where you want it.
But they do need to make it smaller and probably more durable. Audio Spotlight - Put sound where you want it.
My thoughts on this subject are quite simple....
If you are dumb enough to cross the street without looking you deserve to get hit by my car !!! And to top that off you should have to pay for the damages to my car. That will help people to look before crossing the street :smile: Too much of this world is centered on me me me. Why do I have to stop for you ? Why can't you take the time to stop for me ? Wait is that a me me me statement too LOL
If you are dumb enough to cross the street without looking you deserve to get hit by my car !!! And to top that off you should have to pay for the damages to my car. That will help people to look before crossing the street :smile: Too much of this world is centered on me me me. Why do I have to stop for you ? Why can't you take the time to stop for me ? Wait is that a me me me statement too LOL
I agree entirely.
But certainly here in the UK the onus for road safety has always been on the driver:-
RoSPA : Road Safety : Advice & Information : General : A History of Road Safety Campaigns
The default position of RoSPA is car centric.
But certainly here in the UK the onus for road safety has always been on the driver:-
RoSPA : Road Safety : Advice & Information : General : A History of Road Safety Campaigns
The default position of RoSPA is car centric.
It seems that blind pedestrians are ones most concerned about the sound level issue...
The blind and electric drive cars: Death by silent hybrid committee - AutoblogGreen
Bill would help blind be aware of hybrids - Los Angeles Times
graham
Active Member
Cali. Senate approves bill to make hybrids noisier - AutoblogGreen
I did a quick search for some anti noise groups and sent them this link. Anyone else have any ideas how to battle this insanity?
Does this strike anyone else as similar to the Red Flag law?
Red flag laws - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Where early automobiles were forced to have someone walking in front of it waving a red flag? This seems similar, and about as useful.
It would seem to me that the simplest, most effective, solution would be for quiet EVs to have a transponder on board. Blind people could be provided with a receiver that alerts them (either by sound or vibration) when an EV is approaching. More sophisticated receivers might also be capable of alerting the blind person of the direction of the approaching vehicle.
Question: How does a blind person know when a bicycle is approaching?
Question: How does a blind person know when a bicycle is approaching?
And rather than have some constant sound emitter, why not have a pedestrian detector that activates a directed sound source only when the vehicle detects an obstruction and can tell that you are not slowing down fast enough to stop before hitting it. Sort of the way the Lexus pre-tensions the seat belts, and "gets ready", but currently doesn't implement auto-braking for you.
Perhaps a vehicle could detect the magnetic sensors in the road that are used to tell traffic signals that cars are waiting for the light. Your car would use a "detector detector" to know that you were approaching an intersection so could perhaps activate the warning sound only as you approach a crosswalk.
Perhaps a vehicle could detect the magnetic sensors in the road that are used to tell traffic signals that cars are waiting for the light. Your car would use a "detector detector" to know that you were approaching an intersection so could perhaps activate the warning sound only as you approach a crosswalk.
