The Garage 295

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opinion 18 Opinion The sound of silence? Reading this magazine, there is a chance that the sound of a car still means something to you. You might also be one of the people who could impress your mates by identifying a car coming towards the workshop without seeing it? Those days are, in the main, long gone with most vehicles sounding the same or not making any sound at all. But that’s set to change for the near silent EVs and hybrids that are a more common sight in the workshop. From the 1st July 2019, all new types of private and commercial electric and hybrid vehicles with four or more wheels must have an Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) fitted. The EU ‘Regulation on the Sound Level of Motor Vehicle’ (EU 540/2014) will ensure such vehicles are more easily heard by pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable groups such as blind, children and the elderly. When fitted to a vehicle, the system will generate a sound at speeds up to 20km/h, whether it’s going forward or in reverse at a level of 56dB, about the level of a fridge or electric toothbrush. Don’t worry, it won’t sound like either; it will have to be an engine-like noise, and to help pedestrians, the sound will have to change, to be able to demonstrate if the car is accelerating. The background to this law change is the rise in hybrid and EVs on our roads and the threat they pose in low speed environments. Campaign groups, including notable blind charities have pushed for this law for years. A report from the Guide Dogs charity found a 54 per cent increase in pedestrian injuries from accidents involving quiet cars between 2012 and 2013. To cope with this, tech firms such as HARMAN have been developing solutions to bring a controlled level of sound back. Its HALOsonic system creates a sound that is projected from speakers packaged behind the bumper at the front and rear of the vehicle. Speed and throttle position sensors determine the volume and characteristics of the sound generated to warn pedestrians that a vehicle is approaching, whilst also giving an indication of its speed and whether it is accelerating or not. It’s not just in Europe that the law will be enforced. Other countries such as the US, have passed laws that might differ slightly in implementation but essentially aim to offer the same safety advantages. Whilst the sound has to be engine-like, the actual sound is not prescribed and it offers those who could identify a Morris Minor coming to the garage at 200 yards away, a chance to relive those days. Injecting sound electronically means it’s going to be possible for car makes to give each brand a different sound and a chance to create some differentiation once more! 18, 19 Opinion.indd 1 04/06/2019 09:46
19 OPINION Legislation at a glance • Legislation comes into force on 1 July 2019 • Article 8 states that by 1 July 2019 all new silent electric cars and hybrid vehicle types must have an AVAS • The minimum sound level at a speed of 20km/h is 56dB. The maximum sound level is 75dB (comparable to a conventional car) • Applies to all private and commercial vehicles with four or more wheels • Activated in either forward or reverse at speeds up to 20 km/h • The sound should be ‘engine-like’ and be similar to that of a vehicle of the same category equipped with an internal combustion engine 18, 19 Opinion.indd 2 04/06/2019 09:47
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