I'll be the party pooper here. There are a myriad of other noises out in the world besides ICE. In many cases, the noise is tire and wind noise, not engine noise. Sometimes wildlife can make a lot of noise. Moving objects making a sound are more safe, which is why we have reverse alerts on large trucks, forklifts, etc. We happened to have a natural (and unnatural) sound emitting from ICE cars to date, and we don't anymore. It's not about drowning out other noises, it's about keeping people safe from deadly moving objects.
It costs me literally nothing to have some noise come from my car, and it may save a life or minimize the suffering of someone else. I really don't see the debate.