Japan issued guidelines for such warning devices in January 2010 and the U.S.
Warning sounds may be driver triggered (as in a horn but less urgent) or automatic at low speeds in type, they vary from clearly artificial (beeps, chimes) to those that mimic engine sounds and those of tires moving over gravel. Warning sound devices were deemed necessary by some government regulators because vehicles operating in all-electric mode produce less noise than traditional combustion engine vehicles and can make it more difficult for pedestrians and cyclists (especially the blind or short-sighted) to be aware of their presence.
The 2011 Nissan Leaf was the first electric car equipped with Nissan's Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians.Įlectric vehicle warning sounds are sounds designed to alert pedestrians to the presence of electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) travelling at low speeds.
