Are electric cars too quiet? Or have pedestrians become deaf?
The current situation is indicative of behaviors that tend to defy logic or common sense. Take for example this study that highlights the potential danger of electric cars to pedestrians, as they may not hear them coming.
Seriously, this is a bit upside down. In essence, it is suggested that urban sapiens now rely more on their hearing than their eyes to avoid being turned into an unseasoned steak tartare by passing motorists. And so electric cars are blamed for not making enough noise.
There is nothing right about these claims.
On one hand, in what world do people not look before crossing the street? In what world do they walk on the street without realizing that it is primarily reserved for motorized vehicles?
On the other hand, pedestrians who rely on what they hear to navigate the city are often the same ones who wear headphones and earbuds attached to their heads like permanent prosthetics, rendering them deaf to their surroundings. This poses a concerning case of advanced cognitive dissonance: I listen but I do not hear. It is concerning because it involves safety but also coexistence.
Finally, after spending nearly a century trying to make cars quieter, a sound system was mandated on hybrid and electric cars from July 2019, which activates below 20 km/h so they can be heard in the city.
By pedestrians who hear nothing, therefore.
While noise pollution, a scourge that is not talked about enough, is more destructive than air pollution.
There is none so deaf as he who will not hear
Indeed, the sounds (sometimes poetic, sometimes grandiose, sometimes… well, nothing) emitted by electric cars are not very powerful, and may not have as deleterious effects on the human body as the roar of a Boeing taking off or a Harley with open exhaust. But then, what is their purpose if they are not heard, apart from adding more noise? Especially when a modern gasoline car driving below 20 km/h emits practically the same amount of noise as an electric one. A comment from one of our readers on the topic shows the irony of the situation: “with the windows closed in my house, I hear my neighbor’s Zoe, but not her diesel Toyota, figure that out…” The sound of the Zoe… well, nothing.
In short, if the silence of electric cars, as well as some gasoline cars, and why not bicycles, poses a problem, the AVAS does not seem to solve much, especially since as this study suggests, pedestrians hit by electric vehicles are hit at very low speeds, therefore most of the time, and fortunately, without very serious consequences.
What are the solutions to this generalized auditory autism? Perhaps, once again, a bit of education and pedagogy, by reminding, for example, that the basis of safety for a road user, whether pedestrian, cyclist, or driver, is first to use their eyes, then their ears. Ideally, both at the same time, if it’s not too much to ask. Perhaps also remind pedestrians that, even though they have become the kings of the street in certain neighborhoods, it remains generally true that in the event of an encounter with two tons of metal, they rarely have the last word, as the laws of physics are what they are. Then, sensitize electric vehicle drivers to the fact that they are not heard, and they should adjust their driving behaviors accordingly, such as anticipating pedestrian movements, not tailgating them, and showing patience and civility when encountering someone casually strolling on the street for several meters (which, admittedly, sometimes triggers feelings of murder, or worse, honking).
Otherwise, a specific bell to activate in such a situation, like those on some buses or trams, might be a way to clear the way without aggression, and without provoking hostile behaviors.
Regardless, if electric cars pose a problem to pedestrians due to their quiet operation, the issue probably does not lie with the car…