'Too quiet' electric and hybrid cars create headache for US regulators
by Staff and agencies from Technology | The Guardian on (#VNB1)
Road safety authorities and automakers wrangle over new rules requiring loudspeakers to warn cyclists and visually impaired people
US regulators are grappling with new rules for electric and hybrid cars that are too quiet, leading to fears of collisions with cyclists and sight-impaired pedestrians unless the vehicles are fitted with artificial noise-making systems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the odds of a hybrid vehicle being involved in a pedestrian crash are 19% higher compared with a gasoline-powered vehicle.
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