Comments on: GM Teams With National Federation for the Blind to Develop Safe Sound Alert For Electric Vehicles http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Sat, 26 May 2012 05:42:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: DE http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/#comment-160118 DE Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:10:30 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2157#comment-160118 I would recommend 'click' transducers that would produce a stream of clicks at the square of the speed in MPH. It has long been known that humans can easily use clicks to audibly perceive objects in their surroundings. The clicks would not only announce the presence of the car, but the echos would help point out other obstacles as well as the general movement of the car itself. Using the square of the speed in clicks would easily relay information about the vehicles speed. 1MPH = 1 Hz 3 MPH = 9 Hz 15 MPH = 225 Hz 30 MPH = 900 Hz 60 MPH = 3,600 Hz I would recommend ‘click’ transducers that would produce a stream of clicks at the square of the speed in MPH. It has long been known that humans can easily use clicks to audibly perceive objects in their surroundings. The clicks would not only announce the presence of the car, but the echos would help point out other obstacles as well as the general movement of the car itself. Using the square of the speed in clicks would easily relay information about the vehicles speed.
1MPH = 1 Hz
3 MPH = 9 Hz
15 MPH = 225 Hz
30 MPH = 900 Hz
60 MPH = 3,600 Hz

]]> By: The Grump http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/#comment-159765 The Grump Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:19:20 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2157#comment-159765 #95 is right - How am I supposed to know when to turn on my Volt's noisemaker, for a blind person I'm about to hit, when I didn't see the blind person until it was too late? Why do you think they call them "accidents"? - because we don't do it on purpose. Minus several million for clear thinking, GM. ------------------------------------------------------------- And jeffhre #88 - If a normal person woke up one morning, and became blind overnight, the last thing they would do is walk through traffic blind. "Blind person here, I'm an idiot", "Blind person here - don't know any better", "Blind person here - exercising my civil liberties". Not likely. A newly blind person would be sure they COULD navigate safely before walking through town, using audible crosswalks (where available), or using a sighted guide person or trained service animal. They aren't going to stumble through the streets like Mr Magoo. Here's your sign. (Tip o' the hat to Bill Engvall) #95 is right – How am I supposed to know when to turn on my Volt’s noisemaker, for a blind person I’m about to hit, when I didn’t see the blind person until it was too late? Why do you think they call them “accidents”? – because we don’t do it on purpose. Minus several million for clear thinking, GM.
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And jeffhre #88 – If a normal person woke up one morning, and became blind overnight, the last thing they would do is walk through traffic blind. “Blind person here, I’m an idiot”, “Blind person here – don’t know any better”, “Blind person here – exercising my civil liberties”. Not likely.

A newly blind person would be sure they COULD navigate safely before walking through town, using audible crosswalks (where available), or using a sighted guide person or trained service animal. They aren’t going to stumble through the streets like Mr Magoo.

Here’s your sign. (Tip o’ the hat to Bill Engvall)

]]> By: kdawg http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/#comment-159622 kdawg Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:44:45 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2157#comment-159622 @ DonC #84 [img]http://gopaultech.com/files/2009/08/nissan-leaf-interior.jpg[/img][img]http://image.automobilemag.com/f/green/news/12210898+w440/0812_02_z+2011_chevy_volt+interior.jpg[/img] I like the Volt interior better. (and it has 2 cup holders vs. 0 for the Leaf) @ DonC #84

nissan-leaf-interior.jpg0812_02_z+2011_chevy_volt+interior.jpg

I like the Volt interior better. (and it has 2 cup holders vs. 0 for the Leaf)

]]> By: joe obrien http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/#comment-159581 joe obrien Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:56:49 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2157#comment-159581 So, before I am about to run over the blind person I didn't see, as long as I activate this goofy chirp, I'm OK? So, before I am about to run over the blind person I didn’t see, as long as I activate this goofy chirp, I’m OK?

]]> By: Dan Petit http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/25/gm-teams-with-national-federation-for-the-blind-to-develop-safe-sound-alert-for-electric-vehicles/#comment-159580 Dan Petit Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:03:28 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=2157#comment-159580 <blockquote cite="comment-159570"> <strong><a href="#comment-159570" rel="nofollow">DanP.</a></strong>: Cars already have a driver activated alert system; it is called a horn and the button to operate it is placed in a driver friendly location right on the steering wheel.   </blockquote> I disagree that only one method (horn) will suffice for the danger of not having propulsion sound. (Back up and try to keep your hand on the horn while turning the steering wheel to back out left or right). Yesterday, (Thanksgiving Eve Day), I was at the grocery store. People were clearly overly rushed and wanted to come and go as fast as possible, as their vehicles impulsively darted forward and backward obviously without sufficient observing and patience. Just the way that it is going to be all too often. Very large and very bright backup light lenses that curve around the sides might help observability of them, and, your intent. But when people are in a rush to get in and out, you have a "crowded theater exit" problem, and, far more than one or several "no-cost" solutions make sense. Who cares if there are some interesting tones at two automatically-controlled loudness levels emitted by the backup lights? I don't. I'd sure want them there. Drivers may just have to get used to using lots of extra caution for pedestrians when driving in EV mode, in addition to wanting all the other solutions that are at no cost, and, especially where most can be automatic.

DanP.:
Cars already have a driver activated alert system; it is called a horn and the button to operate it is placed in a driver friendly location right on the steering wheel.  

I disagree that only one method (horn) will suffice for the danger of not having propulsion sound. (Back up and try to keep your hand on the horn while turning the steering wheel to back out left or right).

Yesterday, (Thanksgiving Eve Day), I was at the grocery store. People were clearly overly rushed and wanted to come and go as fast as possible, as their vehicles impulsively darted forward and backward obviously without sufficient observing and patience. Just the way that it is going to be all too often.

Very large and very bright backup light lenses that curve around the sides might help observability of them, and, your intent. But when people are in a rush to get in and out, you have a “crowded theater exit” problem, and, far more than one or several “no-cost” solutions make sense. Who cares if there are some interesting tones at two automatically-controlled loudness levels emitted by the backup lights? I don’t. I’d sure want them there.

Drivers may just have to get used to using lots of extra caution for pedestrians when driving in EV mode, in addition to wanting all the other solutions that are at no cost, and, especially where most can be automatic.

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