The One Big Issue With Electric Vehicles That Is Often Overlooked: They Don't Make Any Noise

While strolling outside the China Central Mall in Beijing, I might have been lost in thoughts as I missed spotting a Tesla Model S waiting right behind me for a clearance. Part of the reason why I can never forget the incident is that at the time, I wasn¡¯t wearing any headphones to drown out the sound of a car stopping so close to me. Being accustomed to the honking and the considerable noise of driving cars in India, the incident to this day, seems to be a little eerie, considering what would have happened if the vehicle was at a greater speed.

Now it seems I am not the only one pondering over the silent electric vehicles and the corresponding on road possibilities. A recent study by the Monash University Accident Research Centre and Vision Australia illustrates how the growing number of electric vehicles on road are worsening the anxiety levels and confidence of visually impaired pedestrians on roads.

The survey of 368 vision-impaired people shockingly unveils a 35 per cent among these having been in a crash or a near-miss incident with either electric or hybrid vehicles. The reason is as clear as it gets. While these commuters were able to hear the IC engine vehicles easily, the case has drastically changed with the electric vehicles.

As per the study, those with low vision are not the only ones at risk. Road users especially including children and elderly are also at high risk. Vision Australia general manager government relations and advocacy Karen Knight says, ¡°While there are many advantages of electric cars, the quiet engines make it incredibly difficult to hear them coming especially when they¡¯re travelling at low speeds.¡±

Reuters

Surprisingly, most of the accidents recorded by the report took place at pedestrian focused areas, like pedestrian crossings and walking along footpaths. ¡°It is challenging when cars with silent engines have failed to stop or reversed around crossings and car parks. This has resulted in collisions with my cane, and significantly impacts my confidence to travel independently,¡± Vision Australia client Donna Dyson recalls.

The case does not seem any better even in the case of cyclists, who are pretty much noiseless themselves. Citing these reasons, the US and Europe have regulated the minimum noise levels for electric vehicles. Many other EV markets though are still to mandate any such regulation, Australia being one of the prime examples.

Possible solutions to this have also been listed in the research. A mandatory level of noise for EVs till an optimum speed through an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) is one of them. Another would incorporate a longer pedestrian-light time at intersections.

Whatever solutions might be appointed, as the world moves towards an EV future, it is clear that the silent operation of the EVs is an issue that has to be addressed to ensure the safety of others on the road.