According to a poll by Venson Automotive Solutions, 47% of pedestrians are concerned about how quiet electric vehicles (EVs) are.
27% of pedestrians said they had recently been taken by surprise by the silent approach of an EV car.
This research follows an academic study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), which found that EV cars pose a greater risk to pedestrians than ICE cars.
EU regulations have required vehicles to use Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) since 2019. But without more robust regulations and a uniform approach to the artificial noises EVs make, Venson warns that vulnerable road users stand to be affected.
EV cars driven at low speeds or in reverse can produce various sounds, ranging from bells and chimes to artificial engine noises. When polled, 26% of road users indicated they would prefer EV cars to mimic the noises produced by traditional, ICE cars.
37% of respondents felt that car buyers should be able to pick the noise their vehicle makes in transit from a list of regulated options. Only 13% of those surveyed, felt that manufacturers should use standard, regulated and ‘branded’ noises.
Client management director for Venson Automotive Solutions, Simon Staton, said: “It is easy to see how the stealth-like approach of some EVs, coupled with the varying beeps and chimes of these vehicles when driven in reverse, can cause confusion to some of the UKs more vulnerable pedestrians, like children or those who are hard of hearing.”
He continued: “Of course, the integration of AVAS into hybrid vehicles back in 2019 was a tremendously positive step, but as our research reveals, 27% of road users have narrowly avoided an incident with an EV so more needs to be done. When people rely on sound to judge the presence, location, and speed of vehicles to protect themselves from harm, easily recognised sounds that can be clearly heard are voted the best.”
