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Toyota Prius -- silent killer?
Silence is golden... or so they say

As auto manufacturers look for ways to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles, alternatives to relying solely on gasoline engines are being adopted. A number of companies, led by Toyota, are looking to gasoline-electric hybrids to boost efficiency in the U.S. Others are looking towards diesel engines, all-electric vehicles and fuel cells.

Gasoline-electric vehicles have been criticized greatly based on a number of factors. Some have argued that the fuel economy gains aren't worth the price premium, the batteries used in the vehicles will end up in landfills when their useful life is over and that diesels make for a more cost efficient and fuel efficient alternative.

One other negative has been leveled against hybrids in the past and that is in regards to their near-silent operation in city driving. Since most hybrids turn off their gasoline engine during low-speed city driving and rely on electric motors for propulsion, the most noise that many people may hear from the vehicles are a slight electric whine and a hint of tire noise.

Blind pedestrians have taken this issue to heart and are going after hybrids as they feel the silent vehicles pose a serious safety threat. The plight of blind pedestrians against hybrids has been detailed on DailyTech before, but the U.S. National Federation of the Blind (NFoB) is putting the issue back to the forefront.

"I'm used to being able to get sound cues from my environment and negotiate accordingly," said Deborah Kent Stein, chairwoman for the NFoB’s Committee on Automotive and Pedestrian Safety. "I hadn't imagined there was anything I really wouldn't be able to hear. We did a test, and I discovered, to my great dismay, that I couldn't hear it."

"People were making comments like, 'When are they going to start the test?' And it would turn out that the vehicle had already done two or three laps around the parking lot," Stein continued.

Since our last report, the NFoB has worked with the Association of International Auto Manufacturers (AIAM) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to look into the possibility of forcing automobiles to emit recognizable sound at all time. The AIAM is even looking into "the possibility of setting a minimum noise level standard for hybrid vehicles," according to safety director Mike Camissa.

However, what may be good for the blind is likely a turn-off to hybrid owners. One of the advantages to having a hybrid in city traffic is the relative quietness afforded by all-electric propulsion.

Representatives for NoiseOFF, a group dedicated to reducing noise pollution, are also less than amused about the proposal. "To further expose millions of people to excessive noise pollution by making vehicles artificially loud is neither logical nor practical nor in the public interest," said NoiseOff founder Richard Tur.

Likewise, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have expressed little interest in the idea.

1.3 million people in the United States (out of a total population of 303,036,973 people) are legally blind.

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By JasonMick (blog) on 10/3/2007 2:53:47 PM , Rating: 5
I know this remark will likely get me lambasted by PC types but...

Doesn't it seem rather foolish for blind pedestrians to be crossing the street "based on auditory cues" in the first place? I mean it seems like if they are not with a friend or a seeing eye dog they probably should be not wandering across streets.

I know this seems unfair, but it is just common sense. Life deals you the cards, you gotta work with them, lemons lemonade...you know the sayings.

Besides its a slippery slope argument. If you say hybrids aren't loud enough, before long you'd be saying V4s are loud enough and you could argue every car needed a big V6 or V8 engine which would be ridiculous

Anyways this movement seems like a whole bunch of hot air to me.




By retrospooty on 10/3/2007 2:59:52 PM , Rating: 3
I totally agree. We cant stop progress because some people are blind and want to walk in the street. If you are not in a "blind friendly" intersection (they have audible crosswalk signals), and have no dog, you shouldnt be in the street. It sucks that your blind, I really sympathize with your plight, but stay off the streets man, there are quiet cars out there.


By Xerstead on 10/3/2007 3:12:37 PM , Rating: 3
These cars still have Horns right?
There are also many other quiet road users cyclists, trams, motorised wheel-chairs etc..


By ninjit on 10/3/2007 6:00:48 PM , Rating: 3
I was just about to comment about cyclists till I saw you mentioned it.

can you imagine riding your bike down an empty road, and have some blind person step-out right in front of you because they didn't hear any traffic?

I'm all for accessiblity, but instead of going after hybrid cars to be "louder", they should push for more audible cross-walks - I had always thought there already was a law about this, but I'm constantly surprised by the number of lighted crosswalks I come across that aren't audible.

Though on this subject, I've always wondered how a blind-person knows which path is the open one at a corner when they hear the sound?


By Scrogneugneu on 10/3/2007 10:10:53 PM , Rating: 2
Trial and error.


By dever on 10/5/2007 2:35:58 PM , Rating: 2
I should not be laughing. Shame on me.


By Calin on 10/4/2007 2:28:51 AM , Rating: 2
Usually all of them are open when the sound signals are active. It's less efficient in a straight cross intersection (you only need 4 times for cars and pedestrians, sound signals make it a 5 times)


By mathew7 on 10/4/2007 3:04:37 AM , Rating: 2
If a cyclist hit a person it will not kill them, although both will be injured. But a car at the same speed can kill the (blind) pedestrian, because it has much more energy (mass).


By darkpaw on 10/4/2007 8:34:16 AM , Rating: 2
A cyclist can definately kill someone they hit, all it requires is a hit to the head on the way down. It definately happens now and again.

Most cyclists in DC pay zero attention to signals, signs, or any other driving law they are supposed to follow. I'm sure they are a much bigger danger to the blind.


By TheGreek on 10/4/2007 1:29:49 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
If a cyclist hit a person it will not kill them,

How many blindfolded people would be able to hear a Honda Goldwing coming down the road?


By afkrotch on 10/4/2007 10:17:52 PM , Rating: 2
They are talking about a bicycle, not a motorcycle.


By TheGreek on 10/5/2007 11:44:41 AM , Rating: 2
Regardless of vehicle, the issue is being too quiet.


By dude on 10/4/2007 11:20:01 PM , Rating: 2
Forget the blind for a minute here...

I live in Philly, and we have alot of "blind" people that cross the street here. Most cross without looking at the direction of oncoming traffic. Quite a few just cross with their heads turned the other way. Some cell phone users do the same.

Most of the bikers are also like this, but they fly out of the street, scaring the flying crap out of you!

Both the above I have almost hit on more than a few occasions. Every month . I won't be mentioning small children.

The last person I'm worried about is a blind person. I'm more worried about those that just don't give a flying damn and are either hoping for a death wish or to press a lawsuit .

Yes, I do have Prius.


By masher2 (blog) on 10/3/2007 3:24:20 PM , Rating: 3
> "So what you are saying is that if you have a disability you should be limited in what you do even if you were able to do it before?"

Isn't that the definition of a "disability"?

I'm sorry, but if you're blind, you're going to have a harder time than someone who isn't. No amount of hand-wringing and wishful thinking is going to change that. If you're blind, you shouldn't be crossing roads without an escort or seeing-eye dog, period. A little extra noise from a car isn't enough of a safety factor.


By Melric on 10/3/2007 3:55:56 PM , Rating: 2
We have lots of intersections around here that give audio cues so that you know when you can cross the street. Blind people use these all the time to know when it is safe to cross the street. You do not need someone to help you cross the street.

We also have a @!$% ton of laws that make life easier for handicap people. Ramps into public buildings for one. It probably does not make sense here because this sounds pretty lame, but regulation to assist handicap people is not a foreign concept.


By Adonlude on 10/3/2007 4:46:13 PM , Rating: 3
I 100% agree. Disability means that ones ability is reduced or gone. Our society does much to provide for the small percentage of people who are disabled even though disability is usually no fault of society's.

The disabled were dealt a bad hand. That is very very very unfortunate but at the same time it is not everyone elses problem.

Remember that in many societies throughout our worlds history, and even currently in some regions, the disabled are killed at birth. This is terrible, obviously, but it also gives perspective.

Our enlightened western society gives alot to the less fortunate. The problem is that people keep asking for more in this rediculous era of ever increassing political correctness.

We are not putting noisemakers on our cars and if the blind wish to press this issue then I move to take away handicap parking!


By psyph3r on 10/3/2007 11:40:39 PM , Rating: 2
evolution is severely hampered by our societal position ;)