September 1, 2010 ·
While majority of consumers expressing their interest for purchasing hybrid or electric vehicles (EV) for their fuel efficiency as well as their environmentally friendly features, one major issue in using such vehicles are their near silent operating engine, to such a level that a committee has been assigned to assess possible countermeasures back in July of last year. The silent operation does not only concern people with hearing or vision disabilities or such, it is a concern that has been raised by everyone. Based on these findings, Toyota Motor Company has incorporated an audible system for Prius, designed to alert pedestrians as well as others audibly to the presence of a quiet vehicle, such as hybrid cars.The onboard device will automatically emits a synthesized sound of an electric motor when the Prius is functioning in electric mode at speed of up to 25 km/h. The aim in creating the sound is to simply alert not to annoy the individuals through rises and falls in pitch that is relative to vehicle’s speed, indicating to the pedestrian vehicle’s proximity and movement. In Japan major metropolitan cities where the noise pollution is a norm due to is congested nature, the silent vehicle may need to raise their voice before being accepted by general population.
