When Silence Isn't Golden

When can a car run too quietly? Ironically when it makes no sound at all.

Electric and hybrid-powered cars, which run silently in urban passage, can be dangerous to blind pedestrians, who must otherwise rely on their hearing to determine the speed and proximity of traffic. The same can also be said for cyclists, runners, senior citizens and small children who may not otherwise be aware that cars are approaching. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, hybrid and electric vehicles are nearly twice as likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians as vehicles with conventional engines.

Thus, both advocates for the blind and automakers have teamed up to draft proposed legislation, as part of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010 that would require hybrid and electric vehicles to emit a specified level of sound at lower speeds. "Good policy is a collaborative effort, and this is a good approach for pedestrians and automakers," says Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

While this sound could take the form of a “chirp,” or perhaps some futuristic humming ala George Jetson's flying car, exotic car-builder Lotus recently unveiled a more-creative alternative in a concept electric-powered version of its Evora sports coupe. Here, the driver can choose from four artificial engine “sounds” that play through the audio system’s speakers.

While that may sound futuristic, a recently released product called the Soundracer does essentially the same thing, making even an old beater at least sound like a lusty Lotus, and it does so for only $40. Offered in V8 and V10-engine versions, the device plugs into a 12-volt power point and replicates a sports car engine’s roar through the car’s audio system via a built in FM transmitter. And it does so in perfect sync with the vehicle’s actual accelerations and decelerations (we've tested it and it really works). It also doubles as an audio adapter for MP3 players. (www.soundracer.se)

If to you this all sounds like a high-tech approach to the bygone practice of pinning baseball cards to a bicycle so they flap against the spokes to simulate an engine sound, well, you’re not alone.