Car blogs

Chevy Volt Chief Engineer Andrew Farah and group from National Federation of the Blind discuss problems of noiseless EVs and see EV noise-generator demonstration with the Volt in this GM-produced video.




Electric vehicles and hybrids running in all-electric mode can be almost silent when moving at very low speeds or "idling" and accelerating slowly at intersections - a problem for people with limited or no vision.


It's also  a problem for pedestrians who are talking of cell-phones, carrying on intense conversations with others or simply admiring the local architecture as they stroll along -peds who are not paying much attention to the cars on the road.


A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that electric vehicles and hybrids with an all-electric drive mode are twice as likely as other types of vehicles to be involved in pedestrian accidents at intersections and crosswalks.


The National Federation for the Blind raised the issue of EV noise several years ago and has been lobbying individual states, automakers and the federal government to address the problem by ensuring that cars with all-electric drive capabilities make some sort of noise that will alert the sight-impaired to their presence.


Now General Motors is taking up the issue as it prepares to launch the 2011 Chevrolet Volt at the end of next year.
Continue reading...

Tags: Chevrolet, General Motors, Hybrid, Plug-ins and Electric, 2011 Cheverolet Volt, Chevy Volt, EV Sound, Silent EVs, Volt Noise

---

GM Says Volt Crew Working to Resolve 'Silent EV' Sound Safety Issue was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.