The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently
announced that it's taking the first major step toward
proposing regulations that will mandate that electric and hybrid vehicles make noise so as to protect pedestrians and the visually-impaired from accidents.
"America's
streets must be safe for everyone who uses them," said U.S.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "As we improve the environment
with cleaner cars, we must also consider how it affects those on bikes
and on foot."
This action, which is mandated by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of
2010, will help NHTSA lay the groundwork for a proposed rulemaking to
help pedestrians detect the presence of quieter vehicles. NHTSA will
evaluate the merits of possible rulemakings, including requiring
electric and hybrid carmakers to add sounds that alert the
visually-impaired and other pedestrians when these vehicles are
operating in certain low speed maneuvers.
"Even
as we make giant leaps forward with hybrid and electric vehicles, we
must remain laser focused on safety," said NHTSA Administrator David
Strickland. "With more and more quiet vehicles on the road, we have to
consider their effect on pedestrians."
More information:
NHTSA