Concerned that older electric and hybrid vehicles’ silent operation is hazardous to pedestrians, NHTSA has launched an investigation to determine whether an audible alert should be mandated.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation to determine whether EVs and hybrids manufactured before 1997 should be required to emit the same audible pedestrian warning sounds as their more modern counterparts.
- Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141, previously approved by the federal safety agency, mandates the installation of a pedestrian warning sound in all electric and hybrid vehicles under 10,000 pounds beginning with the 2020 model year.
- If NHTSA decides to pass a new requirement for older models, it could pose a logistical challenge, since an estimated 9.1 million vehicles could be on the list to be recalled for a retrofitted pedestrian warning.
Electric cars and hybrids don’t sound the same, which is one of the ways they differ from conventional internal combustion engines. They are quiet, which could be dangerous. A law requiring the sale of new EVs and hybrids with a pedestrian warning sound installed has been in effect for a number of years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now launched a new investigation to ascertain whether EVs and hybrids manufactured before 1997 ought to be required to have the same audible warning sounds as more recent models.
Apparently, a petition from an individual, submitted in July 2022, was what sparked the investigation. The complaining citizen requests the new requirement and provides as support the 2018 law (FMVSS 141) requiring EVs and hybrids under 10,000 pounds to be equipped with a pedestrian warning sound. The petition argues that it is unfair that hybrid and electric vehicles made in the past weren’t held to the same standards as those made in the present.
The law was made to protect blind and visually impaired people who rely on auditory cues to cross the street. NHTSA documents note that this concern dates back at least as far as 2010, with the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010, which became law in January 2011.
More than nine million hybrid and electric vehicles, according to NHTSA estimates, lack built-in audible alerts. Since all of these vehicles may be required to comply with a retrofit rule, both automakers and owners of the older vehicles may face logistical difficulties.
Consider the Takata airbag recall, where nearly 70 million airbags had to be changed due to safety concerns. In order to get owners of older models to bring their cars in for new airbags, Honda and other automakers have spent years pursuing them. The logistical effort required to locate each of the more than nine million owners of hybrid and electric vehicles who purchased their vehicles more than 26 years ago could be challenging and ultimately fall short of being fully successful. The investigation is ongoing, so NHTSA declined to comment.
Source: https://www.caranddriver.com/
You may also interested:
