Eco Factor: Eco-friendly hybrid car adds noise for safety measures.
It seems like being extra quiet did not work for Nissan’s much-awaited hatchback, the LEAF. Due to the guidelines for pedestrian warnings in electric vehicles that make little noise when in operation, Nissan has added sound effects to its otherwise nearly silent vehicle. After considering a variety of sounds like chimes, motorlike, futuristic, the company finally selected a soft whine that fluctuates in intensity with the car’s speed.
Nissan’s system of audible alerts is a result of joint efforts of advocates of the blind, a Hollywood sound-design company and acoustic psychologists. A computer and synthesizer in the dash panel control the system, while sounds are delivered through a speaker in the engine compartment. But, I wonder would adding sound to the EVs do justice to the decades of effort by automakers to make cars that run quietly.
Via: TheWashingtonPost
