Should the Volt have Speakers Inside and Outside to Simulate Engine Sound?
An interesting engineering consideration in building electric cars is the sound they will make. People are used to cars making noise, both inside and outside, and indeed some enthusiasts rejoice at such engine sound.
Also certain groups, such as the blind may rely on engine noise to alert them.
Electric drive cars like the Volt will be essentially silent, with the generator off.
We have previously discussed possibilities for sounds for the Volt. Most recently, at Volt Nation, Bob Lutz told us he could envision drivers putting a CD into the car to make it sound like, for example a Ferrari.
Carmaker Fisker is planning to produce it’s electric Karma, also with on-board range extender in 2009. The car will go 50 miles on a charge, 0 to 60 in 6 seconds and cost $80,000.
Fisker recently disclosed the vehicle will have both inside and outside speakers creating a sound ”like something between a Formula One car and a jet plane.”
I know of no final sound plans for the Volt, so we still have times to make some noise about it.
Source (Forbes Autos )
Popularity: 3%
Related posts:
- The Sound of the Chevy Volt
- What Will the Chevy Volt Sound Like?
- The Electric Engine..and questions
- GM to Supply Engines For the Fisker Karma EREV
- GM CEO Confirms 4-Cylinder 1.4 L Engine Being Considered For the Volt’s Range Extender
(5 votes, average: 4.8 out of 5) 
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156 Responses to “Should the Volt have Speakers Inside and Outside to Simulate Engine Sound?”
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April 1st, 2008 at 6:43 am
I’m looking forward to the quite. There is more than enough noise pollution. But that’s just my opinion.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:45 am
Inside I want quiet. Outside I can see the use for engine sounds while at low speeds for people, like me, who don’t look as much as we should when crossing the road. A high tech version of the horn really.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:56 am
As a cyclist, I would welcome a low volume, innocuous sort of pleasant noise from the car… but only when the driver hits a button. Not all the time. Some kind of viable and less nerve-shattering alternative to hitting the horn.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:57 am
I like the quite inside. Outside? Only if it becomes a problem. Like someone mention, there is enough noise pollution in this world.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:06 am
No noise for me….
April 1st, 2008 at 7:09 am
I don’t care what kind of noise it makes, as long as I can mute it.
I like quiet. My cell phone is always on vibrate…..and no, I don’t keep it in my front pocket.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:11 am
Oh one other thing. If the final design of the Chevy Volt looks like the picture above, I will pay $40K for it.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:13 am
Sorry, but this is just dumb, IMHO………..
Car makers have been trying to reduce engine noise inside the vehicle cabin for decades, and now we want to electronically make those same sounds??? Sorry, I don’t get it.
As far as the blind, we already discussed ideas about small transmitters and receivers to give the position of the cars for those that need it. That way the cars would only have to make any noise when necessary.
What is next? Will we have to have a system to kick on the ICE to produce a bit of engine exhaust for the people that use their sense of smell to know where cars are located?
I thought all you people wanted to use the KISS philosophy!
All I want to hear is smooth jazz from my voice activated MP3 player………
April 1st, 2008 at 7:16 am
Rashiid:
That picture is of a Fisker Karma that costs $80K+
I like it too!!!!!!!!!
April 1st, 2008 at 7:19 am
Jim I, I noticed that after I posted. It really does look sharp.
Electrics don’t have to look stupid and they shouldn’t. They should have mass appeal. Fisker did a nice job on the Karma.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:20 am
I vote for NO artificial noise. There will always be tire noise. The range extender will also generate noise when it is running. And, it will be years and years before EV’s become the dominate cars on the road.
As it relates to the blind, most of them will crossing streets with some assistance; either another person or a dog.
As it relates to those of us who fail to be watchful when crossing the street for whatever reason, perhaps we need to change.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:23 am
I too like the picture and would gladly pay $40k for a E-REV like that!
April 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am
When I pull up to a traffic light and the guy next to me has 5 thousand watts that make my car jump and windows rattle, I look forward to the peace and quiet of a silent car. PLEASE no noise
will do just fine for me.
Ya’ll have a great day.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am
No sound for production version Volt. If the “tuners” want sound, offer the speakers and sound downloads as an accessory package.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:35 am
Yes Estero, but would you pay $80,000?
April 1st, 2008 at 7:40 am
No sounds for me please, I’ll handle the inside with the radio and CD player just fine. If you put one on the outside I will disable it before the thing ever hits the road.
I think looking many years down the road when most cars get away from gas and move to electric drive that maybe short range transponders with directional antenas for the blind would be a more viable option. That way there is no unnecessary outside noise and the people who NEED to hear the silent cars have a way to do so by having a device they could wear to hear them.
Just a thought…
April 1st, 2008 at 7:58 am
Is this a problem in senior citizen communities with their golf carts?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:08 am
I agree… no sound.
Or I see an aftermarket volume control module being a viable product…. then again I can also see enough hacking of the system to make it almost fun. Your car can sound like the Jetson’s or train or helicopter or…. that should be enouhg to confuse the heck out of pedestrians.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:09 am
I’m a cyclist & ride a biking trail almost daily where riders often use a tiny “trike bell” on their full-size bikes as an effective, non-offensive alert.
How about a Volt optional accessory that generates a non-offensive (but highly-audible) “ding-ding” sound when people are detected by a simple IR detector? The car’s tire & wind noise should suffice to alert pedestrians or bike riders at car speeds above about 30mph; the IR detector & audible “ding-ding” alert could be automatically enabled at car speeds below about 25-30mph.
But I’d demand a switch to disable it, so I could decide whether to sound like a San Francisco trolley (or NOT). I wouldn’t want to let the whole world to think there’s a “ding-a-ling” behind the wheel!
(Happy April Fools day!)
April 1st, 2008 at 8:13 am
I also vote no noise. This car should be the reference for quiet inside. Outside I still think the minimal level of noise should be produced. Only just enough noise outside if it is necessary to make it safe. That said there may be enough tire noise etc that it doesn’t need any extra outside noise either.
Please also isolate the ICE as much as possible so as to keep it quiet inside while it is running.
The lack of noise is one of the things that will make this car great!
History will repeat, the lack of noise was one of the beloved characteristics of the first electric cars at the beginning of the 20th century.
Please GM no extra noise!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:13 am
You guys are so gulliable….hehe
April 1st, 2008 at 8:14 am
PS: ONLY ONE DAY LEFT TO RANK THE “LUTZ LIST” QUESTIONS!
Go to….. http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175
April 1st, 2008 at 8:15 am
Since there has not been an outcry from groups with the existing hybrid vehicles that use electric only at low speeds, this is a non-issue. If they create a vehicle that is required to make noise, I’m sure someone will figure out how to circumvent it.
I vote to peace and quiet.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:15 am
I also vote no noise. This car should be the reference for quiet inside. Outside I still think the minimal level of noise should be produced. Only just enough noise outside if it is necessary to make it safe. That said there may be enough tire noise etc that it doesn’t need any extra outside noise either.
Please also isolate the ICE as much as possible so as to keep it quiet inside while it is running.
The lack of noise is one of the things that will make this car great!
History will repeat, the lack of noise was one of the beloved characteristics of the first electric cars at the beginning of the 20th century.
Please GM no extra noise!
Please be an April Fool’s joke.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:24 am
JIM I, I couldn’t agree with you more. This is the stupidest idea I have ever heard.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:35 am
The tires and electric drive system will make PLENTY of noise all by themselves. By the way, I can’t hear my gas car when I’m next to a tractor-trailer using it’s exhaust breaking. Do I need a loud speaker so you can hear me over the noise of the other traffic? When does this stop? When ALL cars sound like jet planes on takeoff?
Oh, I get this story now…(nevermind)
Happy April Fool’s Day!!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:40 am
All these people that have a cell phone in their ear or are listening to their iPods as they walk down the street better get used to using their EYES before they cross the street. I bet it’s inevitable that a certain number of people get run over by the new electric cars when they come out. They’ll say “it just came out of nowhere … I didn’t hear it”.
That doesn’t mean the government should force the car companies to generate artificial noise for the electric cars for pedestrians. I think the world is noisy enough as it is. I can’t stand those beeping sounds that you hear from construction equipment already … talk about noise pollution! That noise should be banned.
I’m looking forward to cars and trucks with silent electric motors, quiet “range extenders” like on the Volt and quiet, low rolling resistance nanotech tires. People that are deaf or have hearing problems will need some sort of technology that detects oncoming cars …. some sort of radar?
If GM doesn’t offer it as an option, I bet some third party company will sell artificial engine noise sound systems. I suspect that a bunch of people still like to rev their engines on main strips like at the beach or Sunset Boulevard in LA or whatever. The government ought to set limits on HOW loud they can get though … so teenagers don’t get crazy with it and get arrested for disturbing the peace, etc.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:45 am
Why would we need the car to make any more artificial sounds.
..the new ICE engine GM is developing makes a very low/loud gutteral sound like a fog horn. So much so that the Nova Scotia Whalers association are thinking about installing Volts at the tops of all their lighthouses….although they say they are willing to pay no more than 35k for them.
Given the rising costs of lighthouse bulbs into the future, 40k might be reasonable.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:49 am
I agree with the rest of you. no noise. Like #12 said, there is plenty of noise already.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:07 am
Like many of the others before me, I also vote ‘no noise’. It seems overkill for a problem affecting less than 1 in 200 people. Besides, why does it have to be engine sounds? This will seem rather retro in a few years. Imagine when everyone is driving electric cars, why should they all simulate ICE noises?
Some sort of electronic assistance for the visually impaired is more appropriate. This needs to be more than a proximity alert, something that can report both directionality and proximity. It is a problem in need of a real solution, and someone will build the right product for it.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:10 am
I favor quite quiet
and see the silence as one of the most attractive aspects of the Volt.
Pragmatically I can imagine people depending on an initial sound to verify operation or get out of the way, especially until there are more electrics. If a little noise is essential, maybe the ICE could start and run for the first minute. That way there would be some initial sound, the ICE’s ability to start Would be verified, and long-term gasoline aging couled be avoided because a little would be used each time. Then, after one minute, the car could be quiet once again. But please, no artificial sounds added.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:12 am
Use this example.. Your wheeling into the parking lot of a big shopping center, and your close to the front doors..
Some mid 60, early 70’s granny is walking out in front of you… you don’t want to spoil the fun having some weird sound coming from the car, but the horn should work just fine!
You see, now we can sneak up on them, and enjoy the scaring the wits out of ‘em…
I know, I’m cruel…
April 1st, 2008 at 9:29 am
Regarding sound / noise . There are a lot of cars made today with smooth enough drive trains that give you no ICE COMING warning .
Give me a programable horn though or a second button . I would like to be reminded that the light in front of me is green without getting blasted or vise versa to remind someone else without setting the stage for road rage . Vary the volume or use a different tone to say hello .
April 1st, 2008 at 9:30 am
Just mount a playing card so it rubs the front tire. LOL
Take Care
Arch
April 1st, 2008 at 9:55 am
Audio on the outside is a waste of energy that could be put into extending the range. Audio on the inside is a simple option over the stereo. Turn it on or off. No real need for it as standard equipment though. It could just be an option or dealer installed accessory.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:02 am
No.
It’s a mostly-electric car. We should hear the electric motor. I have to learn new sounds for every car I drive (since I oscillate between foreign, domestic, manual, automatic), so the Volt will be no different.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:04 am
Arch:
Can’t do that - it will cause areo drag and frictional resistance that will reduce the AER by 0.0001 miles. Lutz said that was “unacceptable”!
Also, today Bob Lutz announced a change to the initial rollout of the Chevy Volt. It will still be done on a “limited availability” basis, but the areas have been changed. The new rollout areas are:
1. Wherever Lyle lives, so he can get a Volt.
2. Dutch Harbor, Alaka, to give the Volt a good cold weather test, and it will also test the rolling resistance of the tires in icy situatuions.
3. Key West, Florida, becuase it will be a nice place for Lutz to take a “business trip” to see first hand how sales of the Volt are going.
4. Poland Township, Ohio, becuase Jim I should really be in the inital rollout!!!!!
April 1st, 2008 at 10:08 am
I want exterior speakers and a microphone.
When I pull up next to a Prius, I want a recording of Lightning McQueen saying “I eat losers for breakfast” and then go “KaChing” or “Kapow”. Also have him ask “Hey, where’s the nearest gas station?”
“See Ya” , then blow his doors off.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:14 am
I would vote for “Jim I” location of Poland for a roll-out that’s close enough to me to go get one (greenville, pa)
As for noise, I want quite, I can’t stand to hear road noise, loud radios, I do enjoy the sound of an old hot-rod, but that’s a special sound and feeling. What next, but some artificial vibration so you can “FEEL” the car too.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:29 am
With all the work that needs to be done and assuring at least 40 AER why are we even discussing artificial noises? There are already converted electrics on the road and as someone pointed out I don’t believe the quiet has even been as issue w/ the Prius. In fact the people I’ve spoken to who have driven the Prius have all mentioned the quiet as their favorite part.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:32 am
I want laser beams so I can fire warning shots at the unaware. The laser beams should have a “turbo” setting so I can blast
1) rude drivers (take that Mr. change-lanes-without-using your-blinker!),
2) future (non-human) roadkill, and
3) mailboxes.
I also suggest on-board video cameras to document and ID both the unaware and rude drivers. I want the Volt to send the documentation data to a highway patrol clearing house.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:36 am
Back in the day, our mother used to quote the lyrics of a popular song of the time:
“No, no, a thousand times no, I’d rather die than say yes.”
Someone suggested a sort of two stage horn button. How about having the second one produce a nicely modulated voice saying “Excuse me”?
Have you ever heard a Prius leave a stop? It makes enough tire and drive train noise that I defy you to tell if the engine is running or not.
LOL, I remember a cartoon in Hot Rod Magazine in the 60’s of a kid with a six in his car and a 45 rpm record player behind the grille going “Vroom, vroom”.
Happy April fools indeed.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:45 am
ThombDbhomb ;
Count me in , except why target mailbox ? Without a mailbox we could not receive junk mail and I believe junkmail will be the fuel of the future . ( ethanol )
April 1st, 2008 at 10:45 am
#40 ThomDbhomb:
Good point. I cannot tell you how many times I have wished I had a 20 mm mounted behind my grille!
Back in the 80’s, sombody used to market a little battery powered box which you could hang on the sun visor. It had 3 buttons producing sounds of a machine gun, hand grenade, and a bomb whistling and then exploding. I got one for my birthday. Later on, they came out with the upgraded version with a speaker mounted behind the grille. I was really hot for one of those, but my wife put her foot down. She said, “Noel, you will be shot in a road rage incident before the week is out.” On reflection, I had to agree with her!
I think that Grizzly makes a good point at #39, however. Maybe we need to leave this cool stuff until Gen. 2.
Once again, Happy AFD.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Wow, just as I hit submit on my last dumb comment, I saw the Zap ad. I know nothing about Zap but, based on comments here yesterday by folks wiser than me (wouldn’t be hard), is that part of AFD as well?
April 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
Did anyone hear the report on NPR last night about the Ford Escape Hybrid?
Supposedly the plant is working 2 shifts, six days. The dealers are putting $3-5K “dealer markups” on them and selling every one they can get.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:06 am
Noel #41
I actually forgot what day today is
. I hope that’s all this discussion is about.
WRT the Fisker Karma I wonder what the CD is. Their website doesn’t mention it, but it’s also rather vague on vehicle details like the type of motor, range extending ICE, battery type/supplier etc. If it does come to market it’ll be one heck of a competitor to the Tesla at about $20G less and unlimited range.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:13 am
I’m starting to think this whole thread is an April Fools joke.
I think that having some noise outsidethe car would be a good idea, however I don’t think it should be elecrically powered.
You could simply mount some mechanical device (similar to a baseball card in the spokes of a kid’s bicycle) somewhere in the engine. That way you can produce the noise while using up only a tiny amount of energy.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:23 am
Speakers in or out???? April Fools.
Keep it quite!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:31 am
#47 Grizzly:
I think it’s the sound of a cash register. “Ka-Ching”.
Or not.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:32 am
I would be really disappointed if GM does that. For all the talk about redesigning windshield wipers and sound systems to save power, I could not imagine a more wasteful use of battery power. Not to mention, it would cost GM $250 million to design it, since they cannot seem to do anything for a reasonable price. I have maintained since day 1 that I would pay $50K+ for the concept version, but I get more and more disheartened every time I her anything about the Volt these days. It is not going to look anything like the concept, the price has gone up by almost $20k, but the good news is the engineers are focusing on mounting speakers outside the vehicle so we can play the soundtrack to The Fast and the Furious for all the other commuters to hear…. I could not be more blown away by the suggestion. If it is an April Fools joke, it is one that has me ready to give up on the volt and see about getting in line for a 2009 Tesla Roadster. For GMs sake, I hope it is a joke.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:35 am
# 47 Grizzly,
The Fisker really is no competition at all. The Tesla roadster is 18k more at $98,000, but it’s 0-60 is sub 4 seconds…Fisker is 0-60 in just under 6.
Fisker is a cute car…the Tesla Roadster is a friggin monster…and a super ridiculous value at 98K. You get a supercar at half price, and you get to be a smug bastard when you drive it. hehe
April 1st, 2008 at 11:37 am
No noise for me in the cabin, if included I wanted to be able to turn it off in the cabin. Outside is a different matter - because it is for safety.
For safety it could make a noise that is made as directional as possible facing forward, and maybe only played when traveling below a certain speed (I guess the blind could advise what speed). Also a sound that would not transmit much into the cabin.
Ultimately (not Volt v1) I wonder about using low power radio technology to send out a signal with a range of about 200 ft. Then the blind could have a receiver. Maybe a stupid idea?
April 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
I believe there should be a standard noise maker for all vehicles, that beeps (whatever) when it comes in range of a persona transponder, so that the possessor of the transponder can hear the distance, direction and whether the vehicle is moving closer or farther away, due to natural doppler shift of the sound waves from the vehicle.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:41 am
#15 NZDavid
No!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:53 am
Statik #52
Since Tesla has ditched the tranny I doubt that 4sec or sub 4 will hold. I believe that it could now very well be in the 5 sec. range.
Tesla’s EPA range of 250 is also under very cautious driving and IIRC real world test driving revealed much less.
Tesla is not an automobile company, and the only reason they’ve got a shot is that Lotus is behind them. Henrik Fiskar has a long history of automotive know how from his time at BMW, Aston Martin etc.
If the difference comes down to 1 sec. 0-60 and a superior interior, build quality, ride and unlimited range via an RE all in favor of the Fisker, then the $20G difference is huge IMHO. Don’t forget that the batt. in the Tesla is also suspect because it’s using laptop chemistry.
April 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am
I laugh like crazy everytime I hear people claiming that blind folks avoid cars by listening for them. I’d say if that’s true, we must
run over a whole lot of blind people in this country, since there are plenty of cars out there that you simply cannot hear coming down the road, except perhaps for tire noise (which would be too late) and which an electric car would produce in exactly the same way.
I’d say drivers being able to see pedestrians is a far more likely
reason as to why the streets aren’t littered with blind corpses. I remember my dentist mentioning years ago that cars had gotten so quiet that he wouldn’t notice them anymore when he was walking to work. Of course, we can’t neglect the needs of the deaf, so we need flashing lights on the front of the cars to warn those folks
that, of all things, a car is driving down the street.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I know, make it sound like the original Knight Rider!
You’ve gotta add the red scanner lights just under the hood too.
Turbo Boost and “Pursuit” mode would be a nice feature as well.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pm
No noise. For goodness sakes we are surrounded by light pollution, noise pollution, air pollution. Let’s clean it up already. No artificial or added noise makers on the Volt. I want quiet.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Big brother could take care of the safety issue via GPS . All the hardware will probably be there if we allow it .
April 1st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Re #46 noel park
Yes, indeed I emailed Lyle with a link and some possible text for a blog entry. I also did my own research. Short answer, if you want delivery this week or this month be prepared to pay handsomely. If you are prepared to wait 8 to 10 weeks, just MSRP (maybe could bargin down a little too).
April 1st, 2008 at 12:36 pm
The Ford Escape Hybrid is being extensively advertised on Sunday nights’ ABC series, Extreme Home Makeover. In fact, they have been giving them away to homeowners. I bet this is helping fuel the demand.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I agree with everyone above. I like no noise, but wait.
How about a warning sound for when you are near people in a parking lot.
.
Listen for the shook, shook, sound as the red laser rotates horizontally.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgH83IqL8T8
I also would also like the rotating red laser light option, above the front bumper!
April 1st, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I use the noise a lot when I’m about to cross the street in the middle of the block, but I always look obviously, how often do blind people cross the street by themselves anyway? they cant see the walk/don’t walk sign.
I do think it would be fun to have some funny sounds when i drive my friends, maybe a train engine sound, or a horse and carriage with whinny when i brake, maybe cause i would get a kick out of it once in a while.
they are gonna give the car a horn, i don’t think any engine noise is a necessity,
…unless to get some feedback on the manual transmission, I haven’t used one, but don’t you use the sound besides the tachometer to know when to shift, and i assume it will be pretty popular since its more efficient
April 1st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Noel #46
I just purchased a new 08 Ford Escape. I was told by the dealer that through normal chanels there is a one year wait. This is here in the South Texas area ( San Antonio) Same with the Mercury Mariner
Hybrid.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I have a ford escape hybrid and I do scare people as I drive by them in the parking lot. If you have teenagers, don’t let them take it out at night, as they will be able to easily sneek back into the driveway……
By the way, it will be my second car once I get a volt.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:52 pm
#60 Mark Bartosik:
According to the radio story, they were getting the $5K bump even out of people who were ordering the things and waiting. I guess it’s just a question of whether you can, as you say, so the research and find a less greedy dealer. I guess in all fairness to Ford dealers, they are doing anything they can to keep their heads above water these days.
Meanwhile, Priuses are selling for about $1K OFF sticker in SoCal at the moment, and they have a pretty good supply. The bad news is that my wife says the she wants all modern conveniences, including leather seats in her next car, or she’ll just keep driving her Impala, thank you very much. Maybe it’s good, because the only way you get leather seats in a Prius is to go to about Package 6, which is almost 27K even with $1K off.
Oh well, one more excuse to wait for the Volt.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
#64 Jill:
Now there’s a good selling point! I thought maybe teenagers would resist the Volt as not racy enough, but maybe this will outweigh that.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Oh plus, my comment about the Zap ad survived “moderation”, so there’s a good omen for the day.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:00 pm
What a waste. First spend engineering time and money to reduce the weight as much as possible and then turn around and add useless external speakers. This would be a complete waste of time, money, materials, and end-user efficiency.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I foresee a sound war, where my sound needs to be louder than your sound. Eventually, we’ll all become deaf.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Nope. Don’t put speakers on the outside of the car.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:09 pm
If my Volt’s to quiet I’m going to put a hockey card in the spokes of my car to remind me of my old bicycle.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
When i only read the title to this thread, it made me laugh and think how silly it sounded. The only argument i can possibly see is alerting blind people…but these days ICE cars are quiet too! You’ll still hear the wind and the tires on the road noise with an electric car.
But seriously now…putting speakers on the inside and outside of the car to simulate engine noise?! SERIOUSLY?! We might as well give the Volt terrible suspension, put speakers on it that go “Naaaaay! naaaaay!” and get electronic reins instead of a steering wheel to keep us reminded of our horse and buggy days.
I mean how could people possibly transition from a horse drawn carriage to a car in 1900 without still using reins and having to say “WOOAH!” in order to get the car to stop. I know it would be a difficult adjustment for me! Maybe we can research poop chute technology on the back of the Volt near the exhaust pipe, which has to “go” every 6 hours or so? Oh and the car HAS to be stopped when it does its business. Maybe there could even be a gauge in the car showing the amount of time left until next poop?
Ok ok…..sarcasm off. But point remains.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
#56 Grizzly
It’s made, it’s on the road. It’s been tested 0-62 in 4 secs. You can check it out at Jay Leno’s site….or surf around the web…first drive tests are popping up all over the place now.
Couple for you, I’ll only post big names, rather than obscure blogs,lol:
Car and Driver got 4.4 verfied…in the rain, with limited traction: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/green_machines/2008_tesla_roadster_short_take_road_test
Leno Video of first production Tesla and road test:
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=229378
A difference of 6secs vs 4 secs on 0-60 is huge. It puts them in two entirely different classes. The Fisker is the unproven product here, they are the ones dealing in maybes on speed, quality and price.
For electric cars you always have to give the nod to people with substance over hype. I think we have learned that first hand.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I prefer no speakers or fake noise, unless required outside from a safety standpoint to pedestrians and cyclists. IMHO though, the electric motor will still make enough of a whir sound (and the road noise from the tires) such that there will not be a safety concern.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Lyle might want to post a reminder about this Live Chat with a GM exec on Friday. I’m sure there’s tons of questions we could ask about the Volt. I think there will be some Volt news on Thursday also.
http://www.gmnext.com/livechat.aspx
April 1st, 2008 at 1:31 pm
What about this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CViDfkmT7uw
April 1st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Happy April fools day to you all!
FYI - 70% of the average vehicles noise comes from the tires on the road (given highway speeds).
I hope that none of you fell for this as it is crazy to want to generate additional sound on an electric vehicle that already has limited electrical resources. GM has even stated that they have to create special electrical components (wipers, radio, etc) for the Volt becuase of power consumption.
Nice try though…
April 1st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
O.K. GM quit teasing us and give us an electric car. I’ll even take an old EV1 if you have one around back. Wake up! don’t you see Toyota coming up on your rear view mirror. You can be the leader with a quality product. Just think of all the Prius could have been yours driving around instead of Toyota. Your loss Toyotas gain.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
No extra noise - Please!
Lyle,
Did you see where General Motors is set to close the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant located in Hamtramck, Michigan in May of 2009 to prepare the plant for production of the Chevrolet Volt and other small cars for the company?
This information is here:
http://www.chevyvoltforum.com/index.php?ind=news&op=news_show_single&ide=32
Lyle , currently you can not register. The Registration Image and Refresh Image are not operating.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
What is the most information as to when the first container load of Tesla Roadsters is scheduled to arrive ? I know their Chairman got his 2 months ago , but the first multi car shipment will be fun to see.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Interesting that Bob Lutz jokes about the sound of a Ferrari.
I would like a menu setting that makes it behave like a Ferrari, just for one city block.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
This subject reminds me of the Harley Davidson with straight pipes debate . Mosquitos and straight pipe Harleys , two signs of summer .
April 1st, 2008 at 3:18 pm
#81 John:
As a 30 year+ motorcycle enthusiast and rider, I find few things in this world more offensive that straight pipe Harleys, and the stupid excuses for same. All the more reason to keep the Volt as quiet as possible.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I figure electric cars should make a really annoying beeping sound like the “folkswagon” transport vehicles that move mobility-challenged people at airport terminals. Or perhaps they can just play the “Entertainer” music track just like the ice-cream truck. (Hey - its April Fools Day!)
Seriously … although I would prefer a silent vehicle - at lower (city) speeds it may be useful to have a low volume innocuous sound to alert pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. I wouldn’t want the sound to be like a Harley, street racer, etc. If I want some loud sounds, all I need to do it get back some of the rusty old beaters that I used to drive 15 years ago - and drill a few extra holes in the muffler and tailpipe.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:10 pm
#84 DLewis
At city speeds, I assume you would be in a city environment. Anybody in a city environment should expect frequent car traffic and should be careful in vehicle lanes. As a bicyclist, cars often sneak up on me while I am out on some back road, where the speed limits are higher than city speeds. Often, those back roads have two lanes and insufficient shoulder. Cars often try to “thread the needle” instead of slowing down and passing safely.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I have though long and hard on this issue. I hope the volt comes silent as I plan to put a clothes line clip holding and playing card on the wheels to make it sound cool like we use to do with our bikes as kids.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Sound? Played from speakers? WTF?
NO.
That would be kinda stupid. And it would take power.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
What’s a few pedestrians really? Run over a few, and the rest will pay better attention. Keep the Volt super quiet.
Yes, I serious about the last sentence only.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
#85 omegaman66:
Jim I at #37 made the important observation that the playing card may negativly impact the Cd, and thus the AER.
I wonder if it would still work if you made some holes in the card to try to lessen the drag? You could sort of angle it toward the rear like the little fin thingies on F1 cars. Who knows, with enough tunnel time, you might actually make the Cd go down.
Of course it will still have some finite weight. Maybe a carbon/carbon card and clothespin?
Happy AFD!
April 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Rashiid #87:
That’s what I’m talking about. Harleys with straight pipes too, come to that.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
There is legislation pending in Maryland that would REQUIRE hybrids to make some kind of sound so that blind people can hear them coming. That sounds really stupid, but it is a serious safety concern.
I wouldn’t be surprised if artificial engine sound becomes a fad in the 2010s. For the rest of us, driving in silence is part of the attraction to the Volt.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Let me get this straight, they were freaked out over the radio, windshield wipers and other electric accesories wasting energy and now they are proposing a sound machine to mimic a running engine!!
As for the blind, the noise from almost any car on the road cant be heard soon enough to prevent a fatality. Most of the noise heard is road noise and wind noise anyway.
This is as dumb as adding a computer to the car to tell me how much pollution im not creating.
I have no time for such nonsense.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pm
60 Minutes did a piece about a month ago about the Active Denial System Raytheon is developing for the military . As soon as Eestor gives us all the power we need , how about using a low power version so we could feel the Volt coming ( no noise , just a little heat ) I want one mounted in the rear bumper also for tailgaters ! Looking forward to next AFD.
April 1st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Quiet Please..
April 1st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Can’t believe this has got to 84 posts.
Statik and Grizzly - I agree with you wholheartedly
’nuff said
April 1st, 2008 at 5:26 pm
…or even wholeheartedly - doh!
…and that should have been 94 posts - double-doh!
…and now it’s 95 - treble doh!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Hell No! Silence is Golden!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
The clothes pins could be put on the inside of the wheel and that should take care of any wind resistance issues. But maybe a better idea is to have a second ICE engine to charge a smaller li-ion battery pak to charge the outside speakers. Are maybe just do away with anti-lock breakes so the blind can hear the wheels screeching across the pavement after you jam you foot through the floor trying to stop… or maybe a governor to limit speeds to 15 miles per hour… or maybe a bigger soft rubber bumper to cushion the blow… or maybe a convertable so we can just yell “out of the way” whenever we see people in our way.
Another point to consider is what to do about people that aren’t blind or deaf and step out in front on cars anyway!
April 1st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
If there is an optional sound, I wouldn’t mind but I would like to be able to shut it off and not waste the power for when there’s no reason for it (like on the interstate).
I’d instead like a solar roof, if it came down to optional components, even if I had to pay extra for it. Perhaps make solar roof, sound options, etc part of an option package that could be put on the car separately? Extra money for GM for extra features would certainly be fair and let those without the means still get a cheaper EV.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:09 pm
The Volt should not make any artificial sounds.
It should have 3 different horns instead.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Inside sound: none for me
Outside sound: yes if needed for safety (forward projecting only)
April 1st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
No FAKE noise for me! If I want to hear engine sounds I will drive my truck!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Wow, you guys are pretty blase about the blind and safety issues here.
I’m a pretty young, observant guy but I will admit to being startled a number of times by Priuses running on electric power in parking lots at night.
I see nothing wrong with adding some speakers to the Volt to make it produce as much noise (externally of course) as a small quiet car like a Civic or Corolla, if it means preventing some injuries or even deaths. Another issue is warning away wildlife at night, or on the highway.
If you think adding such speakers will increase cost, drag, weight, or power consumption in any meaningful way, you clearly haven’t given this much thought. You can get little 5W computer speakers that would do the job nicely for approx. $0 and they weigh approx. nothing.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Yet another non-sense post by Lyle to show that GM is really NOT serious about this. What the hell they need to artificially add noises? Do not understand, BTW, I am in for a car and totally boycotting American junkies.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Being April fools … I’ve got another great idea: How about installing forward directional speakers that allow the Volt to make echolocation “dolphin” clicks. People with sensitive hearing (and various aquatic mammals) will be able to hear when the Volt arrives in 2½ years …
April 1st, 2008 at 7:21 pm
There are directional speaker technologies that could project sound only in front of the car. It doesn’t need to be loud or offensive, but as a cyclist it is nice to know when a car is approaching. Some well meaning people (and others not) honk their horns as they pass cyclists. Car horns are actually really loud and can be pretty good surprise if you are quite close and not inside another car. It would be even worse if it came from a car that you DIDN’T already know was there.
Honking when close to a cyclist is not a good solution.
I can understand why people don’t want their cars making additional superfluous noise, but I think if it was low volume, not annoying, directional, and not audible inside the car it would probably make the car safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
No artifical sound please. The car will make enough road noise that it can be heard by those who need to. For those who need it offer it as an option or let the after market take care of it. For me, I’m looking forward to the sounds of silence!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Sound would be OK if it was Mozart.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:02 pm
No sound inside. Out side some type of non irratating sound at very low speeds for parking lots and and areas where young children are.
I have an electric bike, and I have problems with people hearing me coming, so I tend to cough or whilstle when nearing them.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Actually you won’t need any additional “noise” on the car for the first year or so because everyone will be looking at it when you drive down the street… it will be a head turner.
And for Noel Park and others concerning hand-held noise producing devices and other irritants etc…. about 10 years ago I purchased an electronic device called “The Highway Zapper”. It didn’t produce any sounds but what it did was emit a radio wave that would be interpeted by radar detectors as a police radar unit. It only had a range of about 1/4 mile but that was plenty when some speeding wise arss was thinking he owned the road because he had a radar detector. I think I paid $50 for it but it has been worth every penny of it over the years. I don’t think it’s made anymore and it may not be exactly legal but it works great.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I want mine to sound like a DeLorean from Back To The Future!
April 1st, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Statik #73
Thanks for posting that. First off I just wanted to let you know that I’m not rooting for either so please understand that when you read this. I wish every EV company success so that we can eventually say goodbye to “lite sweet”.
The first vid w/ tranny results in a 4.4 0-60. Not bad at all but not exactly “sub 4.0″. Interesting that in the second vid Musk states that only 100 of these will be released with a tranny which they’ll do away with later in favor of a beefier motor. What’s up with that? Why not just release the vehicle with the new motor?? We know that the tranny had problems with motor torque and reliability so why even release 100? Where are the upgrades???
I’ll give you that even if the Tesla’s “beefier” motor produces a 4 sec 0-60 it’s significant over a 6 second run, but there are many factors beyond this that influence vehicle purchases. To say that the Tesla is in a league beyond the Fisker is a stretch. Two seconds is big if you’re Motor Trend but drive either and you’ll get exhilaration from the instantaneous pull and smoothness. So the Tesla is a bit quicker. It also has less interior room and less trunk space, and I’d argue that it doesn’t look better just because it’s a 2-seater. Actually, I think the Fisker looks better.
Another point I’d like to make is about the batteries. From Musk’s comments it appears that the 6K+ cell count is Tesla’s way of using BMS redundancy to cover failure. The problem is this. Laptop cobalt technology doesn’t fail because of rogue cells. I’m in the IT field and in the past 10 years I’ve yet to see a laptop battery that had anywhere near 90% of it’s capacity after even a year of general use. Many of these 1
April 1st, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Yes
With the option to turn the sound on an off manually
Toyota Camry Hybrid owner.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Oops….my bad…
year old batts barely could hold a charge for 15 minutes. This is NOT because of “rogue” cells that an BMS can bypass. Checking the potential of these batts reveals that the majority (if not all) have the full 17-22 volts depending on the design. If a single cell in the pack of 5-7 had failed they wouldn’t have produced full potential. What happens is that these cells can’t produce EMF. Therfore this is a chemistry issue, not a “bad” or “rogue” cell issue. Chemistry is that which produces and sustains EMF.
I’m not sure what Tesla’s warranty is, but I’ll tell you this, if I’m paying 100K for a car I’d DEFINITELY want better than laptop batteries.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I’m sure some kid is going to put a mega phone cone on the muffler of the ICE motor. There is your sound if you want it.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:31 pm
With all the work that needs to be done and assuring at least 40 AER why are we even discussing artificial noises? There are already converted electrics on the road and as someone pointed out I don’t believe the quiet has even been as issue w/ the Prius. In fact the people I’ve spoken to who have driven the Prius have all mentioned the quiet as their favorite part.
Because it’s April Fools Day.
April 1st, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Grizzly
I think you missed the point…the reason laptop batteries fail after a year is exactly because of rouge cells. Cheap laptop batteries don’t have cell balancing so you get one cell that’s discharged while the others are charged and your whole pack is dead. Sophisticated batteries like in the Tesla and Volt won’t have that problem.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
OK, guys ….April Fool’s is almost over & it’s time to get serious again…..
THERE’S NOW ONLY ONE DAY LEFT TO RANK THE 20 “LUTZ LIST” QUESTIONS!
Go to….. http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175
April 1st, 2008 at 10:14 pm
jscott1k,
Maybe I was too technical and less clear than I wanted to be. Rogue cells are not the problem for the reasons I pointed out. What drives electro motive force (emf) is chemistry. A rogue cell would immediately be evident by taking a measure of potential across the ends of any battery. Most laptop batts have anywhere from 5-7 cells generally speaking. If any of these cells failed, it would be evident when potential is checked. This is a fairly simple test but it’s pretty clear. AGAIN, what I’ve found is that most laptop batts show FULL potential, they just can’t …stand and deliver. This is *not* due to rogue cells but an increase in resistance. Again, this is a chemistry issue.
The reason that A123’s battery design has fewer cells (around 250) as opposed to 300+ for CPI is superior chemistry. They have redundancy with their level of certainty and what they perceive as a liberal anticipation of a few rogue cells can definitely be bypassed if the need be. This probably follows any redundancy model for certain technology that has been proven to be reliable. The problem is, and again I’ve stated this before, laptop batteries are not reliable in any way shape and/or form. AGAIN, this is not because of a higher “failure” rate of “rogue” individual cells but because of a general inferiority of chemistry. What does this mean? Simply put, that it doesn’t matter whether Tesla’s batt has 6K or 100K batteries with a BMS to match, they are quite simply going to fail, not because of bad eggs in the sample, but because of chemistry as a whole.
What is Tesla going to do 1-2 years down the road when that pack’s resistance is such that it’ll only drive the car 35 miles with gentle driving?
April 1st, 2008 at 10:30 pm
OK IVE GOT IT!!! I WANT MINE TO MAKE EXTREMLY LOUD FARTING NOISES FROM THE MOMENT I BUY IT TO THE MOMENT THEY CRUSH IT! THIS IS TO MIMIC THE RELEASE OF METHANE INTO THE AIR.
IF YOU DONT LIKE THE WAY I DRIVE STAY OFF THE SIDEWALK!
April 1st, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Forget the speakers…
Add a cowcatcher to the front of the Volt. If it is designed properly, it will help reduce the CD, and still be a safety feature!!!
Note to GM: Please get this car done ASAP, as we are all starting to lose our minds here…………
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 am
I’m a Buick owner (3 Buick Regals, one is supercharged) because Buick is quiet. My next car shall be electric. Please keep the car quiet. The world will adjust then demand nothing less someday soon. Someday a noisy gas car owner will be castigated for driving a 100 year old gas fired antique.
April 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 am
There should be a sound you can choose to turn on so that unobservant people will get out of your way in parking lots rather than dropping their groceries when you startle them either by creeping up on them silently or if you have to use your horn.
It should not be a sound imitating a gasoline engine.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:01 am
Silent as death. Which SW Florida Dealer will have the first VOLTS?
I love stealh mode.
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:34 am
If it came with external/internal sound as you mentioned, my first stop after picking the vehicle up from the dealer would be the nearest BestBuy or Circuit to have all that crap ripped out of fit.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:28 am
I remember reading about the idea of adding sound early on, but assumed it was just a joke. I was apparently wrong, so I guess I’d better speak up. This has got to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. “People are used to cars making noise” — so what?? People will get used to cars NOT making noise. Does someone honestly think that we’ll be able to change our whole idea of what technology we want to power our cars, but our decision is going to hinge on what kind of noise the thing makes? I’ve been driving a Prius since late 2000, and the squirrels still manage to get out of my way even when I’m running in all-electric mode. Good grief.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 am
I think it would be a little bit inoing to have a fake engine noise. I think mabey you should come up with some other idea to alert the blind. mabey something with a motin detecter.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:08 am
you should be able to pick noises other than engine sounds that way I can program my car to make realy inoing sounds that every one will hate.
You should be able to make custom noises. I would make a noise saying “im a car, im a car, im a car”.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:50 am
130 comments on this. What a riot! I guess it just shows the awesome power and reach of GM-Volt.com. And the superior sense of humor of the Volt Nation. Or else “Be careful what you ask for, you might get it”.
Happy AFD. When we were kids we used to say “April Fools is past, and you’re the biggest fool at last!”
#128 Mike in NJ:
I think that this was serious the first time it surfaced, several weeks ago. I think that it is a joke this time. I hope? Right Lyle?
April 2nd, 2008 at 11:01 am
My vote is for no noise. What’s next, a smoke machine in the tailpipe to simulate pollution?
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Hahaha — Excellent analogy with the simulated tailpipe
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Initially, I agreed it was stupid. We don’t simulate VCR tape loading noises in DVD players or gas ignition noises in our microwave ovens.
Then I started to think about as a “ring tone” for your car. Pop in a disk or (preferably) flash card, and your car can sound like the cruisers in Blade Runner, or the speeders in Star Wars. Maybe the sound of the Tardis from Doctor Who? I actually think it would be a neat selling point. There will need to be a mandated volume limit, of course, to keep the idiots under control.
April 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Why should the “majority” suffer because the “minority” can’t adapt? Every vehicle makes noise due to rolling resistance of the wheels and drag.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
God, I live in New York City and the last thing I want is moe noise. Let the Volt be my sanctuary away from it all.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
@Hous Volt Pharteen
I grew up in NYC, and lived off a major highway. I can appreciate the desire for quiet.
I don’t think the intent is for this to be loud - a normally running gas engine is almost silent. I see the intent as just providing some audible clue of presence.
This is the 21st century, We don’t have flying cars, At least it could sound like we have flying cars.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
WHY YES?
How many of you NO people have driven a car that makes no noise in a parking lot?
I have. I own a Toyota Camary Hybrid.
It makes NO noise in electric mode and it is MAJOR Safety problem.
For a rookie electric car driver this is a big deal. I am quite use to being stealth but for the first month or 2 of driving a slient car It was quite a saftey concern.
Do I like the fact that it makes NO noise?
Yes I love that. At stop lights this is great. But we are talking about giving the driver an OPTION. The word option means you get to choose.
So YES would like to have the CHOICE of making the car make noise.
Feel fee to bring on the bashing and call me wrong. But before you do please identify yourself as a Current Hybrid owner or non-hybrid owner.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I’m not going to bash you; you’re entitled to your opinion. I’ve driven a Prius for 7½ years, many times silently in parking lots, and it’s never been a problem, so I still vote No. The Prius already has an external beep-beep-beeper when I’m backing up, and that’s plenty sufficient for safety. I don’t need to be beeping all the way through the parking lot. Go slow, be patient, drive defensively… the usual guidelines will keep everyone safe.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:39 am
I also own a Toyota Camry Hybird for the last year and it has NEVER been a safety problem in electric mode. The pricetag for the Volt is growing every week, so let’s not get too carried away by adding every bell and whistle on our want lists…..
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
As a former Tesla employee we constantly heard the comment from people that it needed to make a noise so that pedestrians (bicyclists, equestrians, blind - take your choice) would be able to detect the car. I can’t tell you how many people came up with the “original idea” to have it make loud exhaust noises like a Ferrari (Corvette, Porsche - take your choice) through CD (DVD, downloadable engine tones, electronic simulator - take your choice). That was usually before they rode in the car. Few, if any, ever commented on it needing to make noise after riding in it. First of all, it’s not completely silent - there’s road noise, wind noise, and a turbine-like whine from the transmission/differential. Secondly, the whole idea of an electric car is to reduce pollution, including noise pollution. It is truly a glorious feeling to drive a nearly silent car at speed with the top down, somewhat like experiencing a sailboat for the first time after a lifetime of riding in powerboats.
Having said all that, it is still incumbent on the driver of any vehicle to be aware of pedestrians, bicyclists, children, etc. around them as they drive, and even more so in a nearly silent vehicle such as a PHEV or BV. One of the best ideas I’ve heard is to install a “polite horn”. A polite horn would emit a low-volume warning beep or ring that would not startle pedestrians. As a bicyclist I would really appreciate it if all cars had polite horns that could be used to warn me when they are approaching, especially from behind. That way I know they are there and I also know that they see me.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
A polite horn — now THERE’s an idea I could readily support. Excellent compromise suggestion.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Might be fun if you could pick different ones. I always kind of liked Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Or the original Flubber.
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Fact is this
Pedestrians sometimes ONLY use their ears as a way to dectect a car comming.
I myself am guilty of this.
All of you current hybrid owners are probably already use to knowing that pedistrians are alot less likely to notice you due to the lack of noise the car makes.
I do agree with keep the cost low and avoid unnecessay items.
Maybe a sloution would for GM to include a CD of Bruce Springsteen born in the USA that we could all play when we find it appropriate to make a little noise.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
“Silent death” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybus#Advantages
Historically, silence has the effect of increased fatalities, as does the use of headphones by pedestrians.
There should be both a speed-related sound and a power-related sound, both faint.
As fuel engines become fewer and quietness falls upon the streets, we can further reduce the produced sounds from electric cars - and we will have a much more pleasant urban environment, but it will take many years. Until then, safety remains an issue.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
#144 Microbatman:
Or how about Cheech & Chong’s “Sister Mary Elephant” routine:
“Now class, now class, WAKE UP!!!”
April 4th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
As a person with no hearing problems, but who was almost hit by a Prius in a parking lot coming from behind me, I would say noise is a good thing. Just engine idle sound would be sufficient. You’d be amazed - the rolling sound is nothing with all the other ambient noise. Even a car at 10 mph seems to pounce on you in a tight space with no engine sound. Maybe the wind was blowing the wrong way for me - but it was shocking.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I think that every electric car owner should be required to have a man on a horse with a warning flag travel in front of the vehicle whenever it is on a public street. This will alert pedestrians to the possible danger………………
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
April 5th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
#148 Jim I:
Good thinking. It’s a proven concept! Or how about a modern equivalent - a man on a Harley with no mufflers.
April 5th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
No noise for me!
I want my EV to be quiet. Trying to pick a sound to represent the car will no doubt end up “cheesy” and decrease the appeal of the car.
If GM is worried about liability, they should incorporate an active system that senses IR and sounds a series or short alerts.
Either that or those who want sound can stick playing cards in the spokes.
April 5th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
In response to the question asked, “heck no.” Also, I believe they should just make sure that the electric engine is not too quiet. They do, after all make a bit of noise, more like a soft whine. Especially regeneration. I know my Prius makes a really cool sound when taking off in EV, and slowing/stopping.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
No. Please No!
Don’t waste money, time, or any other development resource on this idea.
GM: If someone in the AfterMarket group comes up to you and wants to develop some sort of add-on that will do “engine noise”, let them and give them any information they want on how to interface with the car to make it happen for them. Beyond that, don’t waste any time on it.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
I think a customizeable noise ability could be alot of fun. It doesn’t have to be a traditional engine noise. Imagine cartoon noises like the Jetson’s car or the sound of Fred Flintsone’s feet. Personally I would like to be able to out ‘Hog’ the biker who always has to open throttle when you least expect it.
Alot of tuners pay big bucks to get the right exhaust note, it would be great if you could download one like an itunes file.
From a safety standpoint, it does make sense to have some noise outside, and also inside to give an audible clue to your speed. The absence of engine noise will be a suprise to many.
April 9th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
This is by far the stupidest thing I have heard in a long time. Why the heck would we make fake engine noises on electric vehicles? Are you really that stupid?
April 9th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I thought of this idea 2 years ago! When driving in a parking lot, people can’t hear me and they just keep walking in the middle. I don’t want to honk, it’s impolite. A polite quite horn is perfect, like a “quack quack,” or “clomp clomp” galloping horse noise, classical music, but not “oink oink” that’s rude . . . sounds that can be downloaded, and changed, like cell phone rings are - but with a volume limit.
April 12th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I notice the original posting was April 1st…
In any case, it seems to me that a low-power radar/sonar/infrared unit could warn both the Volt driver and pedestrians in its path.
Objects with profiles resembling pedestrians or wheelchairs would cause a low tone to be emitted from the car. As the car approached, the tone would raise in frequency and/or volume.