Some Expect Pushback on New Rules
A similar measure passed in Europe in 2014. Trevor Cox, a professor of acoustic and audio engineering in England opposed the European Parliament’s vote requiring all new electric and hybrid vehicles have “Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems.”
He noted that he was recovering from an injury he suffered when a pedestrian walked in front of his silent vehicle (a bicycle). His concern is that if all vehicles make noise, pedestrians will become more complacent and less attentive at a time when many are trying to reduce instances of distracted walking. He pointed out that studies in Japan and the Netherlands found no increased risk of accidents when hybrid cars travel at low speeds, contradicting the results of a U.S. study.
