One of many attributes of electric cars that distinguish them from those powered by gas is their silence.
This extremely blissful absence of gasoline exploding violently in steel chambers is a fringe benefit of EVs. I can say as a daily EV driver it is indeed a pleasure.
There has long been consideration though to give EVs artificial sounds, primarily for the purpose of notifying the visual impaired, elderly, and children that a car is approaching. An increase in pedestrian accidents coming from EV mass adoption is the concern.
GM has given this issue some thought too and as per Volt executive Frank Weber, the Volt will be equipped with a pedestrian alert that is driver-activated. It will emit pleasant warning sound when a lever is pulled.
Nissan, however, appears to be taking a different path.
According to a report, Nissan sound engineer Toshiyuki Tabata who used to work on making gas-powered cars quieter, is now working on sound effects for his company’s upcoming pure electric 100 mile range LEAF.
“We fought for so long to get rid of that noisy engine sound,” said Tabata, “With electric cars, we took a completely different approach and listened to composers talk music theory.”
Apparently the sound Tabata came up with is “beautiful and futuristic,” and resulted from consultations with Japanese composers of film scores.
The resulting sound is reminiscent of the flying cars known as ‘Spinners’ found in the 1982 film Blade Runner, it is a high-pitched metallic whir.
Nissan presented the sound to the NHTSA on September 3rd, and although no federal guidelines yet exist, the automaker may equip the LEAF with the sound when it launches in the US at the end of next year.
The sound would start as soon as the car is turned on and would go off above 12 MPH.
“We don’t want to destroy the brand of the electric car,” said Tabata. “We want to have something that will enhance its image.”
Source (Bloomberg)
You can make out the sound of a Spinner in the video clip below:
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:19 am)Still a funky looking car. Does have some charm to it though. As long as the sound is not too obtrusive I’d be ok with it but I do prefer the silence.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:20 am)the list dubbed it the Catfish II from an old Simpsons episode.. I do like the simplicity of the car, it seems very well designed for the intended market: a second car for a household with kids.
This car may end up selling for $25-30k WITH batteries.
+5
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:27 am)I want mine to be as quiet as a mouse.
I like GM’s approach better.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:29 am)many older people will have trouble hearing that high pitch turbine sound, most likely it will not be heard inside the cabin either since high frequency sounds are very directional.. the sound can be “aimed” forward.
Think of deer whistles for oldsters
http://deerwhistle.com/
I love that movie and I just tought of something.. the steam venting from the spinner as it lifts off is probably the exhaust of a large fuel cell.
+11
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:33 am)Wait…I got it! It could have a LEAF blower sound. However, I think that would be lost on 99% of us.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:35 am)I like this funky catfish car.
Prefer silence, though.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:35 am)Funny you say that Herm, my aunt is 88 and whenever I pick her up in my Prius she likes the sound when braking. Similar to (now listen) Brrrrrrrrr r r r r r . She is the only one that has commented on that sound.
+3
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:39 am)“hack” and “ringtone” are the first things that jumped into my mind.
[shudder...]
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:45 am)I agree Rashid. I won’t be getting a leaf but if I did I’d end up disabling that feature as quick as possible. I want my EV to be in NINJA mode at any speed. If I see a kid or blind person I’ll just beep at them! Actually I like GM’s approach of a pleasant push button much better. It gives the driver the choice which is important to me.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:47 am)Yuck! I hope there is an off button. I do not want any artificial noise on my electric car when I buy one. That is the biggest deal breaker for me!
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:55 am)A high pitch whine might not be bad if the car was in “turbo” mode.
I am thinking of the TV show, “The Knight Rider”. K.I.T.T. would emit a high pitch whine when going really fast. I think the high pitch whine might sound really cool if it had a lot of power and speed behind it.
But clearly, this is a personal choice.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:55 am)Did you know that sound of the Prius braking can be modulated?.. the inverter that controls the motor can be pulsated to make the motor windings vibrate and emit sound, even play music.. the sound can also be completely taken away by just making the inverter run at a high enough frequency so that you cant hear it.
Many of the speed controllers (inverters) used in radio control model airplanes have that feature.. they make warning tones by using the motor’s windings.
http://www.castlecreations.com/index.html
I believe the founder of this company is a poster on this list.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:57 am)Possibly a future revenue stream for car dealers, instead of downloading ringtones, downloading ‘CarTones’.
I particularly would like sounds that a Deer can hear and associate with a fast moving threat. We have lots of Deer around.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:58 am)For people who say it is too much work plugging in a car every night I ask them is it too much work to plug their cell phone in every night? Would they rather drive to a cell phone charge station?
Now another analogy with cell phones ‘CarTones’
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:59 am)I was really hoping that EV’s were going to make urban living pleasant. I most looked forward to fuel cell buses, so that those deafening diesels would be history.
If they have to make some noise, then I prefer / recommend white noise. Else wise, individuals should be able to download approved noises like ringtones. I might go with the Jetson’s flying saucer sound, a galloping horse or a herd of cattle.
+4
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:11 am)I suggest Nissan gives it a “blowing bubbles” sound to match its ugly catfish face.
**GM: please don’t do this!**
+4
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:32 am)If we could download any thing we want, how long do you think it will take for someone to download something pornographic?
+3
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:35 am)This is the dumbest idea ever. GM please don’t do this to the Volt.
“The sound would start as soon as the car is turned on and would go off above 12 MPH.”
This is totally pointless unless there are millions of blind and deaf people everywhere. How many under 12 mph accidents are there every year? This reminds me of a clip from the Office when Andy sneaks up on Dwight in his Prius and pins him up against a wall. Life is not a TV show.
Maybe they will make cars sound like the jetson’s car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdWswvLPdE0
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:39 am)It had not occurred to me, but yes, the Leaf does present an image reminiscent of “Finding Nemo.”
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:43 am)Perfect +1
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:45 am)I wonder if the sound could be made directional? That way we only hear it if is is headed our way.
+3
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:45 am)Rashiid –> Maybe 17 seconds, depending on network speed?
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:47 am)Herm, regarding modulation –> Fascinating comment. No I did not know that. Thank you.
+4
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:52 am)I want silence too. The urban environment is full of unwanted and unneeded noise.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:56 am)Here we go again…Bell the hybrid (and now EV). If sound emitting vehicles never existed, would this be concern? Something to ponder…
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:56 am)I will buy a Leaf if it comes with the Daryl Hannah Basic Pleasure Model option.
Best. Movie. Ever.
End.
List.
Run.
“Time…to die.”
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:11 am)“They’re my friends. I made them.” – J. F. Sebastion
Keep your Prius. We want ‘Pris’. Standard issue for military clubs in the outer colonies.
Yeah love that movie.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:23 am)You’re not allowed to plaster pictures of nude people on the back of your car (although the infamous “S*** Happens” bumper sticker stretches this analogy).
You don’t need high tech to be in questionable automotive taste; example: “Truck Nuts.”
I like the idea of downloading something, but it should be more than just a “ringtone,” it would be a suite of sounds which vary depending on what the car is doing:
Star Trek: That “going into warp speed” noise when accelerating, the noise they used for slowing down when braking, etc.
Star Wars: Endless spaceship / landspeeder noises to choose from.
Loud Pipes: Annoy your homeowners’ association with these obnoxious Harley noises.
The Batmobile: That turbine noise from the cheezy ’60s TV show.
The Jetsons and the Horse are good ideas (When coming to a stop, the “Horse” ought to have that coming-to-a-stop clatter, followed by the air-blowing-through-horse-lips sound that you’ve heard on every Western since Radio days).
Point being, a suite of sounds would be harder to just edit and download, and would more likely be something professionally published than amateur-hacked. This might make it less likely that we’d get farting noises on acceleration, or moaning sounds at speed.
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:29 am)… beat me to it.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:41 am)Farting noises on acceleration. Now that was funny, Jackson.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:46 am)@Jackson: This post and you made the geek in me HAPPY! GM’s new online iEngine store, download your cool sounds here! No DRM please.
Zel
And Remember GM:
Jacksonville Fl, 54 mile commute round trip, 110v 20a plug at work to recharge and designated parking spot. Just saying I will volunteer. Really.
Plugging for a Plug-In!
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:46 am)This all sounds very typically Japanese. It will probably sell well in that market and be great for TV shows like “Eureka”. As for me, Mr Nissan president, I would like my leaf without this extra cost “feature” that sucks energy from the battery. Thank you
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:47 am)Yeah, you can run Linux on an iPhone, how long will it take someone to figure out how to add their own ring tone? Of course they could be ticketed, so they’d be taking a risk, same as someone with illegal exhaust.
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:47 am)At least it’s only under 12 mph. That’s nothing, you can get over that speed in about 1 second.
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:48 am)If it MUST make a sound, it should have a variety that is selectable by the user, just like the ringtones on a cellphone.
A few examples:
The “Light Cycles” from Tron
The “Forest Hover Cycles” from Empire Strikes Back
The “Theme from JAWS” by John Williams
The “William Tell Overture” by Gioachino Rossini
Grandpa Simpson shouting “Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
Of course it would just be simpler if I roll down my windows and crank the stereo up to full blast.
Problem solved.
+3
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:51 am)I prefer silence as well. Having some kind of ‘friendly horn’ to signal our presence should be enough. People will get used to silent cars if we don’t keep on sound polluting.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:52 am)High-pitched (yet highly-audible) sounds can definitely be made directional —e.g., a small speaker with a forward-facing trumpet behind a car’s grill could direct the sound ahead over about a 30 deg angle. For example, the forward-directed sound could have a pitch & timbre similar to a child’s tricycle bell ….or to an orchestra’s “triangle” (i.e., pleasant but highly audible even to the hard-of-hearing & even in areas with high levels of ambient noise).
Also, closeup photos of the Volt’s steering wheel indicate it will have an “active” cruise control like many cars already have. This means the Volt already has a forward-looking sensor (radar, sonar or ?) that could possibly double as a sensor for animals & humans and activate the pleasant warning sound at speeds below perhaps 12 mph.
And of course, no matter how “pleasant” the sound might be, I would demand that it could be deactivated by the driver (just as cruise control can be).
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:55 am)The Jetsons and the Horse are good ideas (When coming to a stop, the “Horse” ought to have that coming-to-a-stop clatter, followed by the air-blowing-through-horse-lips sound that you’ve heard on every Western since Radio days).
————————————–
Whoa! Whooaaa! trigger!!!
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:56 am)If we leave the sound of the car to people’s good taste, we are in deep trouble. Some people have a strange definition of ‘good taste’ … just think of some ringtones that are really loud and annoying
Best if we have silence and some kind of beep that is driver activated.
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:58 am)Me neither !
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:00 am)Cars make sounds other than engine noise. The thump of woofers (internal speakers, not external), the rolling of tires, the metallic sound of brake pads squeezing the rotors. EVs will still have motors running like a/c and p/s. These will all produce *some* sound.
Lots of cars currently suprise you due to being silent.(such as a Caddy gliding through a parking lot) Slamming on the brakes doesn’t even make noise any more because of anti-lock.
I prefer that my $40k car doesn’t make any noise except the sound of a (human) ninja disappearing. A motorcycle ninja, not so silent.
Weber’s lever will be abused imho. I can hear it now. Marilyn Monroe saying ‘beep, beep, baby’! Or James Brown ‘Yeow!’.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:02 am)Or just cure blindness and stupidity.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:04 am)It’s pretty much a ‘Versa’ 5 door body with a “squashed” front clip from what I can see.
It’s a very efficent design but it isn’t exactly pretty.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:05 am)How about making it sound like a car?
If your doing this for safety sake, why make impaired people try to figure out what noise that is coming at them?
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:07 am)In other words, at low speeds the Leaf will sound from the outside pretty much like high performance electric motorcycles already do. I can accept that idea, so long as it’s quiet inside for the driver. If you watch a clip, with close up sound, of the Killacycle doing its thing at a drag strip, you will notice that it’s not completely silent.
I was afraid that they’d make it ding like an ice cream truck.
As for the Volt, I’m baffled why they would have the horn activated by a lever when a pressable section of the steering wheel assembly is already what people are used to using to sound the horn.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:09 am)I had a Nissan 300-ZX that had the soft female voice that spoke way too much: “Your left door is open. Your left door is open.”
After it was broken into, the door sensor for that didn’t work anymore so that voice repeated the warning non-stop. I finally had to disconnect the driver’s side door speaker to get her to shut up.
+4
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:09 am)Rashiid Amul
“I want mine to be as quiet as a mouse.”
————————————————
The irony is of course that a LOT of modern cars are so quiet the only thing you hear is tire noise anyway!
Does this mean I’ll have to add a ‘beeper’ to my Malibu?
It’s a slippery slope!
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:11 am)C’mon! What fun would that be?!
+3
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:11 am)“GM’s new online iEngine store, download your cool sounds here”
Yes!
$$ there for GM. Are you listening?
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:12 am)I don’t see this as a deal breaker but wouldn’t it make more sense for the driver to actually pay attention and avoid issues? No kidding, using the same logic, shouldn’t all cars have backup beepers? I don’t think this is a needed item.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:13 am)Since VW will be marketing their latest full EV as “Get E-Up!”, pronounced “giddyup”, they may be the first.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:14 am)“This is Billy Mays!! This is Billy Mays!!”
“This is Vince for Sham Wow!!”
[doorbell (other alert sounds)]
[cow moo (other animal sounds)]
[umm .... body noises (see my comment at/on #2)]
[baseball organist themes (short and to the point)]
Hopefully, GM’s lever-activated alerter has no (or limited) options for customizing the sound.
-2
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:18 am)Since the noise is outside, if you can’t hear it inside the vehicle, what do you care? It’s for outside pedestrian and blind folk safety, not driver entertainment. But if you want to put a CD of fart and horse noises on your stereo to listen to inside the vehicle, you can already do that with any modern vehicle.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:18 am)The hybrid diesel-electric buses in my town make a surprising amount of progress on that front. The engine “idles” and charges the batteries while the bus is at the stop, and so it doesn’t have to run wide open when the bus is accelerating. So the bus makes the sound of a diesel engine running at a moderate speed all of the time — it’s much more pleasant.
Also, the buses appear to have a diesel particulate filter which, combined with the reduction of noise, makes it much more pleasant to ride behind the bus on a bicycle. And, yes, given the number of stops a bus makes, a bicycle is quicker and I get to keep my own schedule, even if I get rained on occasionally.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:20 am)Last I knew, deaf people can’t hear sounds, by definition, but all pedestrians and bicyclists facing the same way as you but in front of you, blind or not, might appreciate something subtle yet noticeable, like the Balde Runner Spinner.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:20 am)I believe the alerter is a separate device from the horn. The object is to let pedestrians know the car is there, not make them jump out of their skins.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:21 am)When I drove my Jetta TDI on a visit to my dad’s house, he couldn’t hear the turbo. He understood the significance of what was happening under the hood (he did teach me what a turbo is), but I was feathering the go-pedal to maximize the turbine noise, but he didn’t get the “OMFG this thing has a 90hp jet engine” feeling.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:22 am)By embedding the Youtube video in his post Lyle made great use of technology to illustrate the sound he was describing. Very clever and supremely illuminating. Without the video I would have had no idea what sound Nissan was talking about.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:24 am)Yep, I knew the ice cream truck sound was lurking out there. Sadly, it’s well designed with a lot of thought and expertise to be highly noticeable, especially to children, and pleasant in a cloying, irritating, just pay it to go away kind of fashion. All EV owners, we’re on notice – carry lots of ice cream treats in a cooler in the back seat when driving in town and prepare to rake in lots of extra moolah from kids.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:24 am)Why stop with noogies in The Office — why not go all the way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftJX_HZ5S4g
“The Prius — it’s real quit, good for sneakin’ up on mother ^*@*#$ers”
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:24 am)We’re sorry, your suggestion makes “Too much sense.” You’ve obviously never worked for the Government.
… if we leave this issue up to the Government, the OSHA backup-up beeper is an example of what we’ll likely get stuck with.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:25 am)I wonder if Nissan has thought this over, “high-pitched whir.”
If it means high frequency, thats where most people first lose their hearing.
From exposure to noises like, loud music, chain saws, motorcycles and cars with no mufflers, etc.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:29 am)If I saw more responsible drivers on the way to work and home every day, I might agree with you. Not following within a car length at every speed would probably cut the number of fender benders in half, just by itself. We’ve had turn signals on our cars for decades, but it’s hard to prove around here based on how frequently (not) they’re used. Add drivers on cell phones, and watch out (Most of the drivers under 30 are texting and driving. Be afraid. Be very afraid).
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:32 am)Moot point. You could hear the pounding hoofs and heavy breathing of the horse before it ran you over. Loud pipes are useless, sight is best, forward directional sound (already existing car horns, voices) is next best, high tech is frosting for the tech lobbiests.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:33 am)Safety is a real issue. In the South people almost never use their horns so a user-activated alert just won’t work. I have a neighbor who is crippled because a car backed over him as a child.
*** Cars are big, powerful, and the driver can’t see small children or pets that are below the level of the hood or trunk. A noise that sounds a few seconds before the vehicle starts to move is critical for safety.
I think Nissan’s choice of the “spool up whine” is interesting – sounds like something I would instinctively get away from. Once the car starts moving the noise is no longer needed.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:34 am)My adaptive cruise control and accident avoidance system is very effective — it may have saved me a couple of times — but it doesn’t work below 15 mph and I’m not sure it would pick up something as small as a person.
The other concern which has been voiced is that a blind person might walk into the side of a car. I’m assuming this is really a concern in urban or other areas with a lot of ambient noise. Where I am, where there isn’t a lot of background noise, you can easily tell when a Prius in EV mode is coming by because the tires give off a “crunchy” noise. There may not be any engine noise but there is road noise, even at speeds less than 15 MPH.
I’d agree with you that it should be an option. While the “whrrrrr” in the video is easy to take, for quiet areas I doubt it would be necessary.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:35 am)Awesome.
-1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:35 am)The stereo does not provide forward directional sound. Most modern vehicles, however, already come with this wacky device called a horn (or for bicycles, some other noise maker). If you locate it, learn to operate it, and use it sparingly and appropriately, you’d be amazed at how well it works and how other folks actually appreciate your subtle noise making.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:36 am)Heh, good point!
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:36 am)Independent testing shows a rolling-resistance coefficient of 8.32 for low roll resistance tires compared with a conventional tire coefficient of 10.54
A 21% reduction in rolling-resistance coefficient.
The downside with low roll resistance tires is that they make more noise. So what’s the problem? Why is any sort of added rumble, buzz, or squeak needed? EV car manufactures are straying away from Keep It Simple Stupid. This may be the very thing needed for a simple, low end, EV to control the market. Will these be made in the U.S.A.?
=D~
+4
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:39 am)Its up to a driver not to run over people whether your car is silent or a loud. Its not up to pedestrians to leap out of the way when they hear a car noise. If you hit someone its your fault. The car is irrelevant.
Really, this whole sound issue is the dumbest thing ever. Tire/wind noise is 90% of the car noise anyways.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:41 am)Great movie but definately better WITH the voice over.
The directors cut without Harrison’s voice over is just creepy…
-5
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:43 am)On most modern vehicles, the driver can control the intensity, duration and pattern of the existing horn sound, “to let pedestrians know the car is there, not make them jump out of their skins”, if the driver can think and plan and has any skill and self control whatsoever.
So, you’re implying that either existing GM vehicle horn systems or GM drivers are deficient.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:43 am)Here is the intro from Knight Rider
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-E8u2o48ts
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:45 am)“In the South people almost never use their horns”
You don’t live in Atlanta or North Georgia, do you Larry?
“the driver can’t see small children or pets that are below the level of the hood or trunk”
The issue of visibility is a separate one which needs to be addressed more directly, IMO. The back-up cameras on SUVs are a good start; but we need blind-spot cameras/detectors as well, and on all vehicles.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:47 am)You can’t fix stupid…
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:50 am)Then DonC my friend you have missed out on an excellent movie!
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:51 am)Frankly, this sounds more like aftermarket, automaker and dealer $$ to me than anything to do with safety. With existing horns and with a Prius/heavy duty truck like back up beep (put your car in reverse for a couple of second when you start it) for frosting it seems like we are already there for safety.
Best of all, without a warm furnace under the hood (ICE) and no fan blades, there’ll more guillotined cute litte aimals when you start your car on a cool morning with an EV. That’s gotta be worth something to your kids.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:51 am)A little noise won’t hurt. The cabin needs to be sound proof against road noise so I doubt anyone would ever heard the spinner sound.
The main disadvantage with the horn is that it is human activated. That means you can only alert someone that you see. The vast majority of people being hit by cars are in situations when both parties don’t see the other person.
You might like silence, but it is worth sitting in court someday for accidental homicide or a lawsuit that didn’t hit the horn? No.
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:53 am)No-one will ever get any hearing loss from being around my high performance electric motorcycle. When I see blind folks, I say hello loud enough to be heard over the tire noise of my motorcycle.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:53 am)How do you alert those who you don’t see? Is it worth spending time in court for a potential homicide case or lawsuit because you hit someone?
While silence is the perfect solution you want that level of protection in a society where there isn’t any Tort reform, and you can be sued for just about anything.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:04 am)The obvious answer is to program the GPS to engage “audio alert” mode when the GPS satellite indicates that your EV is within a parking lot of 100 vehicle size or larger.
A constant audio warning loop will announce that there is an EV in the lot. This will protect the driver from a silent strike law suit.
“please step back…. EV coming …. thank you for complying…please step back…. EV coming …. thank you for complying…please step back…. EV coming …. thank you for complying…”
It’s going to be great!
=D~
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:06 am)I assume you mean a railroad car. Clickety clack. Given the weight of freight trains, folks will keep clear of that sound.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:07 am)MRR –> “…it isn’t exactly pretty.” — yes, though in a funky way it is.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:08 am)There should be a “be no” in my “there’ll be no more guillotined cute litte aimals when you start your car on a cool morning with an EV.”
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:10 am)I like to crank up the stereo but honestly since almost all cars are very quiet (from the factory) blind folks, who tend to have very sensitive hearing, will have no problem ‘hearing’ any moving car. (or bike)
If there is a lot of background noise then it’s likely that no one could hear any car coming.
I think this whole thing is a tempest in a teapot.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:10 am)The words you are searching for are Fish CAD.
=D~
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:12 am)Personally I’d be driving around with “Ride of the Valkyries” blaring out in front of me. That should get people jumping out of the way.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:18 am)EVO,
Why is it necessary to get nasty?
It’s obvious that several people see a potential issue here and there is a fairly light hearted discussion happening.
I think that it is mostly a non-issue but talking about it is not a bad thing.
Looking at different approaches to a solution to a possible problem is a GOOD thing, right?
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:21 am)I agree. If you live within a mile of any major road you can hear the semi tires howl, jake brakes, and the Harley’s without the exhaust baffles.
Keep it silent!
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:25 am)San Francisco has electric trolley buses. They aren’t that quiet. Wheel noise, motor whine, air brake sounds, bumpy road surface and rattling windows are all there. They don’t stink though. Although the Sterno drinking evangelists who’ve never seen the inside of a bath tub that always seem to sit next to me aren’t the sweetest smelling things in the world.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:25 am)Exactly right.
Next we’ll have to put ‘noisemakers’ on our hedge or fence or mailbox.
I don’t think very much credit is being given to the abilities of these people to navigate.
It’s actually pretty insulting to them. I’ve known a few sight impared people and they had a really incredible ability to get around.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:26 am)MuddyRover Rob:
Right! Tire noise plus aero noise are quite sufficient. This is a non-issue, IMHO. There is enough noise in this world already. I agree with Gsned57. i would disable the !@#$% thing ASAP.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:29 am)humm, spool up whine like the portable particle accelerators in Ghostbusters?
that would work..
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:31 am)Luke:
LOL. Literally. Thanks.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:31 am)“Apparently the sound Tabata came up with is “beautiful and futuristic,” and resulted from consultations with Japanese composers of film scores.”
I guess Japanese for “beautiful and futuristic” is roughly translated to English for “jet engine spinning noise”. I don’t think it’s particularly beautiful. If Japanese composers had their say, does it also play the music from the movie as you pull off from a stop sign?
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:32 am)It should have a flaming Gay voice with a lisp and a Gay “OOOgaaah” horn.
It would match all the homo’s that would be caught dead in it.
And naturally a charging port in the Rear!
Oh yes and I predict 8 (-) votes
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:33 am)Amen to all of the above. Well said.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:34 am)Ya, I know. I keep thinking I’m cured, until I realize that I’m not.
-5
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:37 am)You just used the “have you stopped beating your wife” logical fallacy. That’s me being nice. Everything else you say is true and also a compete non sequitor to my comment. I’m not the one who was implying that either GM existing horn systems or GM drivers are deficient.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:38 am)Right. +1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:39 am)EVO:
I sure hope so.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:40 am)Do we need go this far?
How about a mph controlled smell release (S.K.U.N.K.) system? The slower the EV moves the more pungent the warning odor.
=D~
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:40 am)I think I want John Wayne saying:
“Get outta my way, pardner…..”
Or how about Mr. Spock saying:
“It is illogical of you to be in front of a vehicle that can transform you into a Romulan pancake…”
Or I suppose it could be Curly from the Three Stooges:
“Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk….”
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:46 am)Off topic, but I heard Robert Kennedy, Jr. give a speech last night. Pretty positive on environmental issues, on the whole. One thing he mentioned really caught my interest.
He is apparently on the board of a “green” venture capital firm investing in Project Better Place (PBP). He said (at least twice) that, at least in Israel, PBP is going to use a model similar to cell phones. They will GIVE you the car for FREE if you sign a contract for 3 or 5 years.
That’s pretty big news, if true, IMHO. And he’s a pretty credible guy to me, otherwise I wouldn’t bother you all with this wild sounding story.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:46 am)Know the different between movie FX and real life. The sounds can be really annoying.Every time a car comes by u can hear so fool comes by with annoying noises, keep the sounds to your self. we have enough highway or road noisies. People do hella crazy ass thing to their vehchile to make noises, exhaust, sound systems etc. Just keep the noises to a low key. If somebody hacked sounds fx system and put in crazy FX. Can u imagine the road noises. btw, the nissian car is buttt ugly, the headlights is like bug eyes. Please keep it low key and where u can shut the sound off.
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:47 am)hope it comes with volume control and OFF switch.
can it be modulated? “Mom, look – car talks!”
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:47 am)I agree with you, but there doesn’t even seem to be much of a tempest.
This is me being mean, for your future reference.
-8
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:51 am)Sorry, negative votes are reserved for cogent, logical, useful, sophisticated or critical (in the college sense) thinking.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:52 am)Forgive me asking the obvious, but have you stopped beating your wife?
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:55 am)Which one?
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:57 am)18 wheeler air horn, ….driver operated…
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:57 am)Oh Goody!!! This sounds like lots of new business for me!!!!
I. Fleecem, Esq.
For the firm of:
Dewey, Cheatum & Howe
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Dewey-Cheatum-Howe-Posters_i1661359_.htm
Sep 18th, 2009 (10:59 am)Rashiid, just a rhetorical response here… What’s to stop numbskulls from playing a loud smut soundtrack through their speakers, today? Thankfully it hasn’t become a fad (yet)!!
OK, time to throw in my $0.02USD. Ideally, I would like to see the following three things supported:
1. GM’s idea as described by Weber, the lever that emits a friendly, non-jarring sound manually.
2. An optional persistent sound that can be configured ‘on’ or ‘off’ by the driver. For example, if you have children living near your house, you’d probably opt to leave it on. The driver should be aware of the appropriate level of warning for their surroundings, because they’re damn sure liable for their actions; they should act appropriately.
3. Permit the owner to load mp3 clip files that override the sound as desired. This is no technical challenge for the engineers. It would certainly be an easy way to personalize your car.
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:01 am)OHHh….
Is that what it takes to “Shut Her up”.
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:11 am)>> “blowing bubbles” sound
Bloop… bloop… bloop!!
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:13 am)>> You could hear the pounding hoofs and heavy breathing of
>> the horse before it ran you over.
I was actually killed this way in a former life. True story.
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:16 am)@CorvetteGuy:
>> The “Forest Hover Cycles” from Empire Strikes Back
I believe you’re thinking of the ‘speeder bikes’ in Return of the Jedi… one of these critters:
http://pages.videotron.com/jfp/swgallery/roj/MPC_SPEEDERBIKE.html
But yeah, you’re right! Those things have a wicked howl, but it’s not particularly annoying either.
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:21 am)lol, ice cream truck ding
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:23 am)“bah-duh-bump-cshhhh!”
(*rimshot!*)
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:28 am)Cool!!!
A “Cartones” thread.
I prefer silent stealth, but if we had to have something here’s my list of sounds in prefered order….
1: Screetching fingernailes on the chalkboard when braking.
2: Jenna Jamison saying “here I come…”.
3: Fart sounds.
4: Forest gump sayin “stupid is what stupid does…”
5: George Jetsons car……
But that’s jus me.
-7
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:41 am)Right, domestic violence is funny. No wonder Americans are seen as not quite right in the head.
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:43 am)Known to the bums around Harvard Square as Hugh Lewis Dewey.
My favorite is the Russian chauffer, Pikop Andropov.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:50 am)Please make it driver controlled! That’s all we need is a traffic jam with a hundred of these EVs making a damn racket worse than idling ICEs.
I just hate this idea. Now, a deer alert for dark country roads would be nice. A button on the steering wheel for any cyclist or pedestrian that looks confused but always-on? Hell no!
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:56 am)On my Vectrix is a the horn with the first position as a lite chirp to alert pedestrians.
-1
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:01 pm)See post #30
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:01 pm)Please don’t look at post #30.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:19 pm)Man, I hate NOISE POLLUTION. Just as bad as the air pollution. The less noise the better. I can’t wait until the batteries are so good that all the gas powered lawn mowers, weed eaters, and leaf blowers are obsolete. I also hate those beeping noises that construction equipment makes when it backs up or whatever. You can hear it for MILES.
Maybe someday, the airplane industry will have some big noise reduction advances and make the jet engines and prop plane engines dramatically quieter too. I’d got nuts if I had to live next to a major airport.
I also can’t stand those noises that everyone’s cars make simply when they get out of the car and lock the damn doors. It’s not enough for the driver to SEE the the blinker lights go on and off to let them know the doors are locked. The person also has to HEAR the horn honking or some other loud noise. Why? You go in parking lots and you hear horns going on and off all the time. Little kids just love to play with Mommy’s key chain to make the horn go off too. It gets very annoying.
If Nissan is going to have these noises for their electric cars they better think long and hard about WHEN the outside world has to listen to those noises. Imagine THOUSANDS of them all making those noises in rush hour traffic. They better design them to make noise only in very specific circumstances. Certainly NOT when the vehicle is not moving and stalled in traffic or sitting in a parking lot.
They also do not need to be TOO loud either. Just barely loud enough to get people’s attention. Some IC engine luxury cars are already pretty darned quiet. No need for Nissan to make them any louder than the quietest IC engine luxury cars.
The less noise pollution in the world the better. It just makes people even more stressed out than they already are. These days, people are plenty stressed about their work situations, financial problems, kid problems, etc. Then there’s the traffic problems on the way home. People need as much peace and quiet as they can get so they can unwind from the daily rat race.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:32 pm)Back-up beepers are only for vehicles with low rear visibility that are owned by people who don’t like lawyers taking over their lives.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:37 pm)AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
U funny!
Upon applying the brakes, have a the voice say “THTOPIT…..THTOPIT….”
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
OK, back to Kahlua and Mocha.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:39 pm)Any idea on how much the contract costs in terms of monthly payments? And do you get the car at the end of it? Because, not to be too cynical, but that sounds suspicously like a no money down loan to me. Or a veiled lease.
The first one sounds like a return to bad lending practices. The second might be OK as an option, but it’s generally not a good idea for the customer, and I wouldn’t want to be forced into it.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:41 pm)I was hit by a cyclist when I crossed the intersection walking home from elementary school because the cyclist didn’t have a makeshift hockey card and clothes pin attached to his bike’s front forks plinking against the spokes, which would have made an approaching sound. It was the cyclists fault and not mine for I not looking both ways. From that moment on I was never complacent at that intersection and I always looked both ways when I crossed the road.
Is it possible to train dogs to look both ways and perceive a silent moving vehicle?
Having connected cars (communicative cars) could have the automatic feature, as noted to Frank Weber in the article, to let pedestrians know, via sound, that a car is approaching them.
As a former truck driver I can tell you we would use the small electric horn in the middle of the steering wheel to notify pedestrians instead of the whale air-horn. I personally liked applying the brakes quickly more than once so the burst of air exiting the air brakes’ diaphragm would send tremors to everyone, not just pedestrians. Yep, that removed everyone’s rush-hour complacency. Air-horns just turn people into a startled deer.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:45 pm)That Nissan Leaf looks like a cat-fish car. Just add curb finder tentacles and its an electric cat fish.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:45 pm)MMMmmmmmnnnn…. Jenna!
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:48 pm)All bullsh|t and kidding aside, I agree with you. Keep the cars as silent as possible. I don’t think it’s an issue with the cars per se but more of an issue of cities not having the “Infrastructure” to accomodate the visually impaired in the traffic environments. I recall back in college that all the intersections surrounding the school all had those chirping pedestrian traffic signals for the visually impaired. go a mile away from the college and you don’t have them. Cities/counties should be imposed the directive to make the accomodations, not vehicle mfgrs.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:49 pm)Oooh! I know!
I want my VOLT to sound like a Supercharged 427 Big Block with Cherry Bomb glasspacks! If it has to ‘sound’ like a car, I’ll go with that. For sure that’ll get those blind grannys to think twice about crossing the street.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:57 pm)IMO the issue of visibility is the whole point. If pedestrians, cyclists, kids, joggers, someone leaning over to pick up a dropped wallet or running to catch a fly ball and you, the driver, are looking each other right in the eyes, this whole thing becomes moot.
Someone once told me the point of using turn signals each time is not for the cars you see, but the ones you don’t. If you don’t see them and they aren’t paying attention to you, then something driver operated like a horn is pointless. And there isn’t anything you can do, visibility wise, about someone stepping in your path from behind a large truck to catch a mis thrown frisbee. Bad lighting and silhouetting from sunlight also creates visibility problems.
There are a lot of reasons why someone would not see you. If they also can’t hear you, in one of the seemingly rare situations where you can’t see them, that’s where the problems will happen.
+2
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:58 pm)Man, who crapped in your Cheerios? Of course domestic violence is not funny. It was just a play on your use of the terms.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:59 pm)lol….
My gut feeling told me you out of everyone here would catch that name. Next up is Carcus1
Hommie we should go hang in So Cal for Wenching.
Sep 18th, 2009 (12:59 pm)Hey, those kind of look, sound and operate like my kitted Zero X motorcycle, except that mine doesn’t have that slow a@@ rocket lag that the Star Wars ones did. I’ve ridden mine in those forest settings, too. Those stormtroopers really should have taken the MSF (motorcycle safety foundation) basic training course.
http://www.starwars.com/databank/vehicle/speederbike/?id=bts
Everyone here who doesn’t have one is allowed to feel sick with envy.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:03 pm)lol….
I think we have names for most new EV’s coming out. You folks crack me up.
First we have the “Jelley Bean” car, Mitsubishi iMiev
Then the “Dragon Fly”, Aptera
Now the “Catfish” car, Nissan Leaf
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:10 pm)Well, I like the looks of the Leaf. I do not want an obtrusive sound that is on all the time or below a certain speed. But I don’t know what is any better solution.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:10 pm)An optional sound defeats the purpose. If you hear a MP3 playing, is it a pedestrian playing his player too loud? Is it coming for a nearby house?
A standard sound, if you insist on having one, would be much better.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:13 pm)You could be on to something.
What about a sonar in the car that would detect small moving objects (pedestrians, cycles, etc.) and would audio alert when at a certain range ?
P.S. I still believe we should have the option to disable it
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:21 pm)Slavko:
In this wonderful day of technology, I’m thinking of voice messages.
Maybe a sort of a Cheech and Chong “Sister Mary Elephant” voice. When you push the first button, a soft voice repeats, “Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me………” If that doesn’t get their attention, the next voice screams “Get the f**k out of the way!!!”.
I guess, if we can program our own messages into our voice mail boxes, we could surely program them into the car. Or maybe just a really loud PA system like the cops have. Tie it into your Bluetooth, LOL.
Lots of fun, but watch out for road rage in LA.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:22 pm)Amen to both of you.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:22 pm)How about having my car blast advertisments, and I can collect $ from the sponsors? (j/k)
The leaf sounds like a high speed electric motor/servo or maybe a jet. I hope its more “pleasant” than that. I’m not a fan of noise pollution, but having your electric car make a unique noise is a great way to shout to ppl your a greenie.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:25 pm)How do you like your Vectrix?
(My bicycle has a bell to alert pedestrians. Its much nicer than yelling at them)
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:28 pm)Visibility seems like it would be more important to me too, but you always have blind ppl to think of.
I dont know how much ppl use sound to determine where cars are. Everyone I see walking around has their headphones on and Ipod cranked.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:31 pm)LauraM:
I hear you.
He didn’t give any details. Obviously, one would have to look really hard at the numbers. Caveat Emptor for sure. Sounds like a killer marketing tool though.
To tell you the truth, Shai Aggasi, or whatever his name is, sets off all of my scam alarms. He certainly gets a little credibility boost from having his name associated with Bobby’s though.
I always lose my cell phone before the contract’s up, and have to reup to get another free one. I wonder if I could manage to lose a car? Probably, LOL.
i’m not interested in a Renault or a Nissan anyway, so it’s all academic to me. I just thought that it was a fascinating new twist in the electrification soap opera.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:32 pm)As a pedestrian, I frequently “leap” out of the way of oncoming cars. Whether it’s my responsibility or not, I’d really rather not get hit by a car.
Personally, I use my eyes, not my ears. So, I don’t have a real opinion on this, one way or another. (Basically, I just don’t know.) But there are a lot of careless drivers on the road, and if this might help prevent accidents, is it really that big of a deal?
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:33 pm)Gsned57 – I want my EV to be in NINJA mode at any speed.
—————
Me too, that’s why i liked BMWs? EREV where you could set it to “stealth” mode, to force it to stay in all electric mode. Nice for when you want to be quiet.
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:46 pm)Hmmm, that’s a fair point.
-3
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:46 pm)I welcome the day for a Federal Law banning silent EV. They are extremely dangerous. How many children have to die to make this law happen. Already children have died at the hands of the silent Prius. This must stop NOW !
At the very least they should emit a loud beeping noise when in reverse because most drivers don’t pay attention when they drive and even more lax when driving backwards. EV drivers are some of the worst I have ever seen. They seem to think they are entitled to slow down highway traffic at will and run over anything in the local mall parking lot at will.
Let’s do this for our children’s safety. Ban silent vehicles !!!!
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:48 pm)I like that ‘dragon fly’ analogy for the Aptera… unfortunately I’ve been hearing so little Aptera news lately, it’s more like crickets chirping.
-7
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:48 pm)Who cares what YOU want. The sound is to protect the innocents around you for your careless driving habits. I say let the children live and screw your sorry ass.
-3
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:52 pm)Beauty is a very subject thing. Please don’t look in the mirror. The more variety the better. I can’t stand the same looking cars at the mall, it makes my stomach turn. Those peeps should at least get some wicked paint jobs.
-6
Sep 18th, 2009 (1:56 pm)Wrong Answer. The noise is to protect innocent people from your reckless driving. Government is not here to follow a few yahoo desires for silence. Your on a freggin road, there will always be noises. Git over your selfish ways. This will be for the greater good. Attitudes like yours make me want to puke (especially in your direction).
-5
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:02 pm)They make a device for idiots like you. They are call earplugs. They should be mandatory for weirdos like you.
That so-called noise you here in the big cities is music to my ears. It is the hustle and bustle of the modern cities. It is progress in action. If you want silence so you can listen to your trees growing move to Montana. There is no place for people like you in today’s modern city full of the movers and shakers that make American great.
-1
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:06 pm)Great Idea. Hope the Volt has this device. Just be sure to make it tamper proof as i sense some bozos on this site might be tempting to disable it.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:11 pm)The idea is to emit a unique noise so everyone knows an EV is approaching. We all know that EV drivers are the worst on the pubic roads and deserve a special sound to give the normal folks (including the blind) proper advance warning that EV maniac is in the vicinity !
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:12 pm)There was a piece on the MSN news site yesterday about a medical research study on the negative health impacts of road noise. Very interesting reading.
So let me just say amen again.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:13 pm)“…some bozos on this site might be tempting to disable it.”
Got that right.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:14 pm)Speaking of Tires, they may be the perfect solution. Mandating some kind of spikes in all treads to make them super noisy may just be the ticket and the least intrusive for the auto makers. I think this may be the perfect solution. No Charge for this idea as i consider it a public service. You’re welcome everybody. You can thank me later.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:16 pm)About 1/4 or even 1/3 of people at the streets are wearing headphones (listen music through headphone == don’t hear anything around you). And they don’t immediately die from car accidents! (for example, I have been walking with headphones for almost 7 years already)
Problem of “no noise” makes no sense!
If somebody breaks road rules (walk on read light, cross the street where it is not expected, etc) it’s only his problem, not mine. I want my car to be silent and I don’t care about those who are stupid enough to jump under it while I am driving.
-2
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:16 pm)Yo Jimbo, your Doofus Of The Day award is ready for pick-up.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:18 pm)Its a known fact that most EV and Hybrid owners are Gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:22 pm)Just roll down your windows and crank you radio and you have this on your car now.
-2
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:22 pm)The name Kennedy and Credible should never be allowed together for public viewing. Somebody please toss this clown out of this blog site immediately.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:25 pm)Don’t blind ppl use sticks/dogs?
-3
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:25 pm)Maybe so but it still looks and performs way better than the Volt at half the price. woot.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:27 pm)“I’m not the one who was implying that either GM existing horn systems or GM drivers are deficient.”
~ ~ ~
Why don’t you put your high and exalted ego on that electric scooter you got at Costco, and trundle it home.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:32 pm)Just put wind chimes on the damned thing behind the grill .
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:33 pm)I hope one of the composers they talked to was Yoko Kanno. I totally want a car that sounds like the theme to “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex”
And the car’s voice should be the voice of the Tachikoma.
(Those are autonomous light tanks that can carry people)
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:37 pm)Supposidly the movie out now, “Gamer”, is somewhat similiar to the style of Bladerunner. I haven’t seen it yet.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:41 pm)Love it so far. I am having a dedicated outlet installed as I have already tripped the circuit breakers. hehe… This will also prepare me for and electric vehicle.
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:43 pm)We have to have a little talk about this persistent tardiness, “No Name.”
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:46 pm)…
Sep 18th, 2009 (2:54 pm)Low frequency tones tend to propagate at long distances, so you can’t tell where the sound is coming from (see loud pipes), perhaps from the next county? There’s a reason why OSHA back up beeps are the higher frequency pitch they are. Directional speakers also help.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:04 pm)… or playing cards in the spokes!
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:06 pm)Thats good. How is it holding up the mfg’s specs regarding range/speed/charge time?
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:10 pm)Back to the still, Junior.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:11 pm)The latest is that they’re trying to get it recertified as a car, and not a motorcycle; so that it can get in on the Gov’t rebates.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:16 pm)Yeah, they hit the dog with the stick, and you should hear the noise.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:21 pm)They are occasionally also used for sophomoric, self-important jack-asses.
To everyone else:
Sorry, I tried not to say anything.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:24 pm)203485u-452-568259865
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:26 pm)That’s the easy part. You can either replace the speaker with a dummy resistive load or replace the audio file with a flatline 0db file.
Signed
Bozo.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:30 pm)I have my flame protective suit on for this one.
Jenna is old meat….
I apologize to everyone in advance for that last crude remark!
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:31 pm)Dang, Tall Pete
I was strarting to think about all kinds of sounds that I might like and you spoil it by saying something completely intellegent and unarguable.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:36 pm)Well, if i’m driving wreckless you should be able to hear me. So WTF is your problem?
“Government is not here to follow a few yahoo desires for silence.”
We’re not asking for Govt to silence. The EV will be silent. It’s more like Govt will want “Noise”. Can’t you get your ideas or points straight b|tch?
“Your on a freggin road, there will always be noises. “
he he he…
See again, everyone knows a car will make noise on the road via wind noise. So wtf is your problem again? Oh yeah, you’re speaking “Trollaneese”.
“This will be for the greater good. Attitudes like yours make me want to puke (especially in your direction).”
My fault, you were speaking “Pukaneese”
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:47 pm)Sorry, but do the “innocent” have any responsibilities to protect themselves?
Do you have any idea how many times I have almost killed some idiot who had an ipod on and was oblivious to the reality around him, and just stepped out into moving traffic? And what really gets me is, that if I dare to honk the horn, they shoot me the finger!!!!
When my dad taught me to cross the street, his advice was:
The light may be right for you to cross, but the cars and trucks are bigger, and you will lose that contest, so don’t budge until you are sure it is safe to cross….. That advice has kept me alive for the fifty years since he told me rules.
IMHO, this is just politial correctness gone crazy to keep the lawyers busy!
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:48 pm)I say the parents are responsible for their children not YOU!
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:49 pm)Yeah, that’s the last I heard. I say slap two wheels on the back and call it done!
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:50 pm)Then DonC my friend you have missed out on an excellent movie!
Oh, I saw the movie. But it was in Hawaii when I was on vacation and there was a certain haze ….
No recollection of the noise.
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:50 pm)JWayne
You telling me I have to stop looking at GOOD LOOKING WOMEN and enjoying it?
Dang! I really want a Volt but at my age that is just to much of a change.
How about I have it painted pink but still remain attracted to women?
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (3:53 pm)Is that why they work so hard to create “Sound Deadining” walls for apt’s there? So they can hear the “Noise”? Doesn’t makes sense but then again neither do you.
Trollarama today.
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:18 pm)Cmon, Meat’s Meat…
what…….What, what’d I say????
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:21 pm)AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Ur funny after a few drinks!!!
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:26 pm)Hmm….
An interesting storey on Phoenix Motors….
What’s up with Phoenix Motorcars and bankruptcy?
Dubai investor Eqbal Al Yousuf is investing in them as well as Zap.
http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/under-the-radar-whats-up-with-phoenix-motorcars-and-bankruptcy/
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:28 pm)Hmm….
An interesting storey on Phoenix Motors….
What’s up with Phoenix Motorcars and bankruptcy?
Dubai investor Eqbal Al Yousuf is investing in them as well as Zap.
Google for: under-the-radar-whats-up-with-phoenix-motorcars-and-bankruptcy
Also go to ABG.
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:31 pm)He’s just looking for a new “Sugar Daddy”.
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:32 pm)Tomato, Tabata!
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:49 pm)This issue of making an EV emit a sound is analogous of space ships in the movies. Everyone knows that there is no sound in outer space, yet whenever a space ship is depicted in the movies or television hurtling through the cosmos, there is always an accompanying sound track of wooshing or rocket sounds. This is because filmmakers discovered a long time ago that audiences where uncomfortable with complete silence during and action scene. We somehow want our vehicles to have sound because that is what we are familiar with. A totally silent car, well, just doesn’t sound right.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (4:54 pm)Top 10 reasons to own a Volt.
10>Tax credit offsets first payment.
9>Doesn’t have Lutzonian side panels.
8>Pedestrians certified to bounce off hood.
7>T battery prevents back seat pregnancy.
6>Has “leaf” button to sap energy from nearest Leaf.
5>Pedestrian alert “whiring” noise annoys neighbors cat.
4>OnStar provides one free psychic reading.
3>Frank Weber flies one.
2>Dr. Dennis says Tesla Roadster “too tight”.
and the number 1 reason…
1>NGMCO accepts PayPal!
=D~
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:06 pm)I believe we had a thread like this early on, i.e what noise should the Volt make to warn, and winner was a San Fransisco trolley bell – like in the song Ding Ding goes the trolley.
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:08 pm)Hey, I figured out why I didn’t get a survey. I had the check box ticked that said “Don’t contact me for blah blah ….”
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:08 pm)I see no reason why a simple computer program wouldn’t allow the user to choose from different sounds the owner would enjoy hearing and being able to change from time to time. That would be very cool.
Hawk
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:42 pm)Jackson
Don’t you wish you had spelled dog, as Dawg?
JUST MY ATTEMPT AT HUMOR.
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:47 pm)Have fun with it. What this really is ring-tones.
These are the ring-tones I would want for my car
Event ->Sound Effect
Turn On -> Light saber ignition
Rapid Acceleration ->Star Wars / Star Trek Jump to warp
Turn off ->Light saber power down
Rapid turns ->Tie Fighter squeals
Malfunction ->Millennium Falcon sputter / Han Solo “it’s not
my fault”
Iddle ->Light Saber hum
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:54 pm)Captain
that can’t make sense, its to simple,to easy, and besides, I didn’t think of it.
And I actually do like the looks of it and can not tell you why or what there is about it that I like. But I sure do.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (5:55 pm)Personally, I like the way GM has proposed it – silence unless the driver needs to announce his/her presence. If that doesn’t happen I like Jackson’s suite of well thought out sounds.
JMO,
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:01 pm)In other news today….
Calif. Jobless Rate Hits 12.2 Percent
– California’s unemployment rate climbed to 12.2 percent in August, setting a new modern record.
It was up from July’s rate of 11.9 percent.
The state Employment Development Department said Friday the number of unemployed people in California climbed by 49,000 in the period, bringing the number of unemployed to 2.2 million.
It’s also more than 850,000 additional unemployed people since last year, when the unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in August 2008.
Manufacturing, trade, business services, leisure and other services led the state in job losses.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:10 pm)Adrian,
Have many people been sued for operating their Prius? I haven’t heard of a lot of injuries occurring with their very quiet operation. Maybe they have flown under the radar, so to speak, but if there haven’t been an inordinate number of Prius accidents, why would we expect more with the Volt?
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:44 pm)Mike-O
You too? Wow, who’d a thought. (g). You’re on a roll today.
Be well,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The Volts’ Wheels On The Road!!**********NPNS
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:45 pm)I think that we’ve actually had about 20 threads like this. Enough already.
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:45 pm)I have said it before. The car should be silent so I can run over idiots like ramjet. They won’t here me coming.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:46 pm)Captain:
I didn’t get one either. I just figured that they probably read some of my comments here, hehehe.
“Bob Lutz, LOL.”? What do you think?
Of course that would never explain why you didn’t get one.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:48 pm)All good. +1 Thanks Dave. BTW, is that Dave K or Dave L?
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:50 pm)No problem. I have the soothing sound of my wife advising me on my driving, LOL.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:51 pm)exactly… Nothing is tamper proof.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:53 pm)Right on brother. +1 Us bozos gotta stick together.
Actually, I was sending this to Dimitrii at #37, but I pushed the wrong button. It woeks just as well here though.
Thanks Captain for the good advice. I was just about to reach for my dykes and start cutting wires, and we know where that can lead with modern electronic systems. Either that or hit the speaker with a hammer, LOL.
Sep 18th, 2009 (6:58 pm)Right on brother. +1
+1
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:40 pm)I’d like to sock the parents responsible for HIM!
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:43 pm)You tell ‘em, little fat buddy!!
Ke-hew hew hewww…
Ah’m gone.
Sep 18th, 2009 (7:46 pm)“A totally silent car, well, just doesn’t sound right.”
SOUND right. I get it, I get it.
I cast my jester’s cap before thee!
Sep 18th, 2009 (8:00 pm)Exactly.
Each event should be user-uploadable, maybe a USB slot in the control panel.
I want the sound of the UFO’s from the 1970 TV show for my electric-car slow-speed noise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvzarp5j_T8
(starts at 12 seconds in…)
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:22 pm)No kidding! Me too. Maybe I will miss the sound of a high revving ICE!
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:28 pm)“Hooters” chain actually owned by Ford — who knew?
Sep 18th, 2009 (9:51 pm)Most Gay vehicle on the planet.
Ahooooga goes the horn.
Plug it in…..in the rear…
Sep 18th, 2009 (11:31 pm)That is one amazingly strange looking car.
Instant failure
Sep 19th, 2009 (1:15 am)I love any car that can hover. I don’t care what sound it makes while doing so. Imagine being able to pass over the top of people. Now I can sell my Ninja crotch rocket since I won’t have to dodge inbetween lanes any more. Nissan, you rock!
Sep 19th, 2009 (3:27 am)As far as I remember movie of Lyle’s Tesla test drive, EV actually have a sound.
Anyway, sounds of music player would be enogh for me
Sep 19th, 2009 (11:55 am)Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!
Sep 19th, 2009 (11:56 am)How about the voice of Bob Lutz, saying “Global warming is a crock of s**t”.
Sep 20th, 2009 (11:19 am)How about truck backing up “beep, beep, beep”. Except it plays at all times the car is in motion.
Sep 20th, 2009 (8:42 pm)EVERYONE READ jeffhre’s post above. The point in the car emitted noise (non-driver operated) is to warn people the driver does not see, not just people who may not see the car. You can’t warn a person you never see with a horn that requires your input to activate a sound.
Sep 21st, 2009 (12:54 pm)Well, now we know there are at least two sorry asses on this site. Thanks for letting me know I was not alone.
Sep 21st, 2009 (2:18 pm)Myself and the Lads have been gone for a bit and my heavens the base nature of some of the newcomers is really disturbing.
I see the issue of sound is once again being discussed as that was something that I was interested in as per the connect with the driver and the machine to assist in the faurfenuegen nature of driving. Seems there is the hard core silent types (Silent Running—a sci fi movie too) and those who favor some noise. Interesting that the Japanese are thinking in terms of some kind of music. Frankly in a congested area, the thought of all the dis-harmonic sound makes even Zeus and Apollo start to whine and put their paws over their ears. I will take a straight eight thank you very much.
Hope all of you have been having a good go at it.
Regards!——–Higgins and the Lads
Sep 23rd, 2009 (3:24 pm)At low speed, all the new good cars (i.e gas, hybrid) sound the same. In fact, they make very little noise. I don’t think the electric car is any noisier than a good new modern car.
At high speed, things might be different. But this needs not to worry about because what the hell the pedestrians doing at the high speed lane, areas anyway.
Is there any study that show how much noise a good decent gas car, or a hybrid or an electric car make at certain speeds?
My 2 cents