Should be obvious it needs to sound like what it is! a car. The stupid thing is that they are going to make it optional for the idiot drivers.
What other safety feature is optional? Tom Fowle On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 02:16:07AM -0400, Spiro wrote: > I can understand wanting to cut down on traffic noise, but it should have > seemed obvious; just give it a car sound and be done with it. > > > > > > On Sat, 28 Aug 2010, Ray Boyce wrote: > > > ONE of the world's quietest cars will use a fake engine noise to help save > > lives. > > > > Toyota has fitted its petrol-electric Prius, the world's best-selling > > hybrid, with a speaker that emits an artificial sound to help warn > > pedestrians of its approach. > > > > General Motors, Nissan and Lotus are among other car makers set to follow > > with similar pedestrian-alert systems as the motor industry responds to > > criticism that hybrids such as the Prius endanger lives, particularly those > > of the blind. > > > > Some safety groups have called hybrids silent killers, and research has > > shown hybrids are more likely to be involved in low-speed accidents with > > pedestrians because of their ability to run in virtual silence on battery > > power alone with the petrol engine switched off. > > > > Toyota's Approaching Vehicle Audible System device is mounted inside the > > Prius's front bumper and makes an exaggerated, synthesised sound of an > > electric motor up to speeds of about 25 km/h. The company says the system, > > which costs about $170 in Japan, is under consideration for Australia. > > > > Such warning tones are expected to become mandatory for hybrids and electric > > vehicles in the United States. > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >
