CNET On Cars - Car Tech 101: Bring the noise

The flood of electric cars makes noise -- or lack thereof -- a problem for pedestrians who may not see or hear you.

[HarryTheDoodle]

This is a great little vid - I live in the downtown part of a mid-major city. Right at my building is an electric powered light rail, a 3 car TRAIN. I kid you not that at least once a week Im walking across the tracks, dont hear the thing, look up and find out its only 100 ft from me! Damn thing is so quiet its scary.

[lexusfan]

the next 101 on cars should cover platform ..like you hear it all the time ..like Car X shares the same platform as this car Y.
so Brain should covers the basics of it.
just a suggestion. thanks

[JEZZ]

Don't be texting while crossing the street. Look up people!

[toyotaprius]

This isn't exactly kind to those with impaired hearing. Anyway, regular petrol and diesel cars at such low speeds can also be undetectable When you see a car driving past, you'd most likely be hearing the tire roar from it, but not that much at speeds of 18 mph.
Still, where I live I come across a good number of hybrid and EVs, and honestly, they make a high pitched whine, especially from and to a standstill. The best solution I think are DLRs, from a distance they always catch my attention.

[DesuVR]

You`d think people who want a hybrid or electric car may also be the type to want a quiet car. Just make a freakin` horn specifically for pedestrians. I heard of a car that has one, it does two quick but not loud honks; a friendly enough warning. Maybe it was a Ford? Can`t remember. Sometimes people can't hear my V6 creeping up behind them! I could really use a horn like that.

[AlainHubert]

Having an electric car produce some sort of continuous artificial noise is soooo stupid.

There's a thing called "a horn" supplied with every car specifically designed to warn pedestrians and others that it's there.

[itbeokay]

Whenever I walk home from school, I pass by a long line of cars waiting to exit. The only detectable noises that I can hear, are the fans, stereos, and occasional squealing belt. Normal cars aren't much louder than EV's at all.

[fantomtuba]

The problem is most pedestrians and cyclists have headphones, that they don't hear V8s and V10s anyway in the first place. How will they here an electric/hybrid beep?

[afgm]

Did anyone notice the dent on the front bumper of the Prius at the beginning of the video?

[nortexoid]

Screw that. I'm livin on the edge.

[igeekone]

Looks like that Prius already had a run-in.

[firaricars]

I think we should also find other ways beside sound to warn pedestrians.

[whiteandnerdytuba]

Cars already make a sound when idiots cross the road without looking. It's called a horn.

[heresteven]

A person should be able to buy his own car sound on iTunes or amazon

[Sequialtera]

doesn't matter everyone wear headphones

[GoofballKurtt]

people would never get run over by a Prius because they are so SLOW!!

[CaptainCocaine]

Mine sounds like a spaceship. I likes.

[TommyM]

Of course my car with an exhaust is illegal...-.- ppl should thank me that im warning them while im moving along. Especially people with headphones, they dont seem to think anything else exists.. I say we should make cars louder!!=)

[TheMonkeyFarted]

The sound of a very sporty car is a very deep engine. The sound of a prius is gay car coming gay car coming

[bmwmsport]

I'll install air horns on my Prius.