Electric cars running over blind people!

Latest News

Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby Malakai » September 21st, 2009, 2:12 pm

Nissan Adds ‘Beautiful’ Noise to Make Silent Electric Cars Safe

By Makiko Kitamura and Yuki Hagiwara

Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Toshiyuki Tabata spent 30 years as a Nissan Motor Co. engineer trying to make gasoline-powered cars quieter. Now he’s consulting music composers to make electric cars noisier -- and safer.

Electric and hybrid cars, with little or no engine noise, are lauded for their silence, yet some groups including advocates for the blind say pedestrians may fail to notice them approaching. To address those safety concerns, transportation agencies in the U.S. and Japan may mandate artificial sounds for the vehicles.

“We fought for so long to get rid of that noisy engine sound,” said Tabata, Nissan’s noise and vibration expert. With electric cars, “we took a completely different approach and listened to composers talk music theory.”

Carmakers including Nissan and Toyota Motor Corp., manufacturer of the Prius gasoline-electric hybrid, are researching sound as more silent models come to market. Nissan will start selling its Leaf electric car next year in the U.S., Japan and Europe, while General Motors Co. plans to introduce its Volt plug-in electric car by November 2010. Toyota will introduce a battery-powered vehicle in 2012.

Tabata was instructed about three years ago to re-create the sound of an engine. Given his years of work eliminating noise to enhance the driving experience, he said he balked at the suggestion of turning back the clock and adding anything evocative of an engine.

‘Blade Runner’

“We decided that if we’re going to do this, if we have to make sound, then we’re going to make it beautiful and futuristic,” Tabata said.

The company consulted Japanese composers of film scores. What Tabata and his six-member team came up with is a high- pitched sound reminiscent of the flying cars in “Blade Runner,” the 1982 film directed by Ridley Scott portraying his dystopian vision of 2019.

“We wanted something a bit different, something closer to the world of art,” Tabata said.

The sound system would turn on automatically when the car starts and shut off when the vehicle reaches 20 kilometers per hour (12 mph), Tabata said.

At higher speeds, electric cars generate tire noise and the engines in gas-electric hybrids kick in, said Suzuki Takayuki, a spokesman for the Japan Federation of the Blind.

Danger to Children

While no serious injuries have been reported in Japan, Suzuki said a hybrid car he didn’t hear approaching once ran over his cane while he crossed a Tokyo street.

“This isn’t just an issue for the blind,” Suzuki said. “There’s also a danger to children and the elderly.”

Earlier this year, the federation submitted a request to Japan’s transportation ministry, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and the country’s carmakers to consider the issue. The ministry set up a committee that met in July and August, and will present recommendations by Dec. 31.

Japanese regulations say cars can’t be equipped with devices that emit sounds that could be mistaken for a horn.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also is analyzing data on crashes involving pedestrians and hybrid vehicles and plans to issue a final report by January, spokeswoman Elly Martin said. The regulator works with advocacy groups including the National Federation of the Blind, which urged makers of electric cars and hybrids to incorporate noise into their designs.

Nissan gained 2.3 percent to 627 yen in Tokyo today.

Cat’s Meow

Nissan presented its sound system to the NHTSA on Sept. 3, Tabata said.

Car electronics manufacturers also developed noisemakers. Tokyo-based Datasystem Co. makes a device selling for 12,800 yen ($140) that emits 16 different sounds including a cat’s meow, a cartoon-like “boing” and a human voice saying, “Excuse me.”

“There is a risk of these things sprouting up like bamboo shoots everywhere and disrupting the general noise environment,” Tabata said.

Even though regulators haven’t issued rules or guidelines, Nissan may equip the Leaf with its sound system in time for the car’s introduction next year, Tabata said. The system will increase the car’s sticker price, he said while declining to provide an estimate. Nissan hasn’t announced the model’s pricing.

At the same time, the “beautiful” sound may help sales, Tabata said.

“We don’t want to destroy the brand of the electric car,” he said. “We want to have something that will enhance its image.”

URL: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aIqaK2fByA.8
FG G6E Turbo MkII - Nizpro Stage 3 - 364 rwkW - 11.63 sec @ 118 mp/h | I like the dark, I love the dark, but I hate nature. Image
User avatar
Malakai
Double Clutching
 
Posts: 5251
Joined: July 21st, 2007, 1:23 pm
Location: Brisbane
Has Liked: 0 time
Been Liked: 32 times

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby Malakai » September 21st, 2009, 2:13 pm

Imagine a Prius that sounds like a car from 'The Jetsons' as it drives past. Hilarious!
FG G6E Turbo MkII - Nizpro Stage 3 - 364 rwkW - 11.63 sec @ 118 mp/h | I like the dark, I love the dark, but I hate nature. Image
User avatar
Malakai
Double Clutching
 
Posts: 5251
Joined: July 21st, 2007, 1:23 pm
Location: Brisbane
Has Liked: 0 time
Been Liked: 32 times

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby mad_keen » September 21st, 2009, 2:17 pm

Image
User avatar
mad_keen
Full Boost
 
Posts: 2000
Joined: December 15th, 2008, 9:15 pm
Location: FNQ
Has Liked: 25 times
Been Liked: 44 times

1996 Ford Falcon

Re: Malakai loses it!!!

Postby Troutman » September 21st, 2009, 9:11 pm

It is an issue that needs to be addressed, but I do not look forward to the day the ricers get onto this.
'98 Crown Victoria + '07 Caprice
User avatar
Troutman
Cruising
 
Posts: 450
Joined: January 18th, 2009, 9:18 pm
Has Liked: 13 times
Been Liked: 46 times

2007 Holden Caprice

Re: Malakai loses it!!!

Postby FairmontXR6 » September 22nd, 2009, 12:52 pm

Troutman wrote:It is an issue that needs to be addressed, but I do not look forward to the day the ricers get onto this.


LOL

..and what about the police - how are they going to defect "excessive noise" when its factory, or when new cars make more noise then older ones! :-P
'93 EBII Ford Fairmont Wagon V8
'92 Nissan Patrol GQ TI TD42 4x4 Wagon
http://www.boostedfalcon.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11472
User avatar
FairmontXR6
Spooling Up
 
Posts: 892
Joined: September 21st, 2007, 6:37 am
Location: Brisbane
Has Liked: 90 times
Been Liked: 11 times

1993 Ford Fairmont

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby Godzilla » September 22nd, 2009, 7:41 pm

There might be a market in selling big subwoofers fitted under these cars playing Drag race Prostocker sounds at ear blasting levels. LOL
Killer HKS GTR
User avatar
Godzilla
Idling
 
Posts: 124
Joined: August 17th, 2009, 6:15 pm
Location: Melbourne
Has Liked: 0 time
Been Liked: 0 time

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby Sick EB » September 24th, 2009, 7:48 pm

i actually nearly got hit by a prius. i just didnt hear it coming. (it was in a carpark) and next thing i know its right next to me. i was like wtf?!!! where did that come from.
User avatar
Sick EB
Idling
 
Posts: 141
Joined: August 3rd, 2007, 11:34 pm
Location: Thomastown
Has Liked: 0 time
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby bigdell » September 26th, 2009, 4:08 pm

the funny thing is that if a hybrid car hit you the car will be worse of because they are made from aluminium foil. :grin:
sdoylie wrote:remember for every problem there is always the right sized hammer to fix it.
User avatar
bigdell
Spooling Up
 
Posts: 683
Joined: April 17th, 2009, 5:14 pm
Location: Mudgee, NSW
Has Liked: 10 times
Been Liked: 4 times

1998 Ford XH

Re: Electric cars running over blind people!

Postby EAV06 » September 28th, 2009, 1:45 pm

Godzilla wrote:There might be a market in selling big subwoofers fitted under these cars playing Drag race Prostocker sounds at ear blasting levels. LOL


ROFLMAO :thumbsup: :drinks2: :rotfl:
Until next time,
Keep on Rollin' Baby.
Image
Daily drive: 1994 ED Futura
Fun drive: Supercharged V6 EA Falcon
User avatar
EAV06
Idling
 
Posts: 45
Joined: January 29th, 2009, 4:35 pm
Location: Ipswich.Qld
Has Liked: 0 time
Been Liked: 0 time


Return to News

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron