Electric Vehicles: Sounds

The near silent nature of Hybrids and Electric Vehicles is clearly a potential safety problem for pedestrians. Until now, the branded sounds cars make has been a function of the engine and exhaust system. The option of making future electric vehicles sound like anything we want creates a world of options.

After decades of trying to make cars quieter, manufacturers are willing to bring back, and even brand, decibels. It’s clear that some vehicle manufacturers see prospects of warning sounds as a unique and possibly valuable form of branding. Maybe even to the point of a commercial prospect.

There are powerful arguments to be made that Electric Vehicles sounds should be standardized. Whatever sound is used, it needs to be a defined and standardized sound that is identifiable as a car in motion. Random sounds and tunes could be misidentified and abused.