According to a report by the German tech portal Heise, there is a growing lobby for artificially making electric vehicles as loud as combustion engines. The automotive industry, represented by the World Association of Automobile Manufacturers (OICA), is seeking freedoms that go far beyond the warning sounds generated by Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS).
With so-called Exterior Sound Enhancement Systems (ESES), electric cars should be able to emit additional sounds to the outside world. However, these are not intended to serve safety purposes, but are more emotionally motivated, as there is already a regulation in place for EVs to emit noise when driving slowly to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
The argument for the additional noise is based on “emotion, dynamism, and identity.” Aside from being somewhat outdated values, this also takes away one of the major advantages of e-mobility, in that traffic noise is significantly reduced. The industry representatives argued that some customers would not buy a vehicle without the “powerful sound” that is typically expected of sportscars. Thus, they argue, electric vehicles should not be subject to stricter noise regulations than combustion vehicles. As Heise points out, “Critics see this as a desperate attempt to preserve an archaic car feeling in a modern era where true modernity is actually defined by silence.”
While there certainly is an argument regarding the emotional attachment drivers have to their luxury car models, the European Environment Agency (EEA) points out that traffic noise is the second-largest environmental hazard after air pollution, submitting that “over 110 million people are regularly exposed to health-damaging levels. Chronic exposure demonstrably increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.” The World Health Organization (WHO) even estimates that traffic noise costs Europe around 1 to 1.3 million healthy life years annually.
While no decision on the matter is expected before February, the last round of negotiations in November indicated a compromise, according to Heise: “technical middle ground is emerging: the ‘default-off’ principle. It states: a vehicle may be equipped with ESES. However, such systems are generally switched off when starting the journey.” Japan and Germany have emerged as the biggest opponents to a noise ban on vehicles.
heise.de
