The European Parliament has approved a proposal from the European Commission to electric cars and hybrid vehicles are more sound. This must accidents with vulnerable road users decrease.
In 2009, the European Commission for that electric cars are more artificial ‘engine sound’ had to make. This would apply to speeds of 30km/h. Above would be the tires sufficiently sound. A 2011 study carried out confirmed the risks, especially for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, because they scare of the relatively silent electric cars and hybrid vehicles.
According to the adopted proposal to manufacturers of electric and hybrid cars to ensure that their vehicles are sufficient to make a sound, especially at low speeds. Very concretely, the proposals have not yet: there is thought to the noise level of a car with an ordinary engine. Also, it is still unclear whether a constant or an intermittent sound. Although many automobile manufacturers, the electric car is precisely to throw up because of the silent engine, there are also car manufacturers that offer the possibility of a ‘custom’ sound to add.
The European Parliament also approved proposals to the current maximum noise output of cars to decrease. The border comes in at 68dB to lie instead of 74dB. Heavier vehicles may, however, a few decibels more to produce, while the most heavy trucks still 81dB allowed to produce.
Dutch politicians react disappointed about the in their eyes to modest tightening of the noise levels. Stricter noise standards would have a beneficial impact on the health and are also relatively inexpensive to implement. From the auto-industry would, however, be an intensive lobby conducted for the reviews to limit.