US EditionElectric Car Warning Signals Prove Hard to Locate at Low Speeds, Study Finds
- Chalmers University of Technology released a study on March 24, 2025, examining how effectively people can pinpoint warning sounds emitted by low-speed vehicles powered by electricity or hybrid technology.
- The study investigated three common AVAS sound types, revealing that all were harder to locate than internal combustion engine noise, especially when multiple vehicles emitted the same signal simultaneously.
- Experiments with 52 participants in soundproof chambers showed none could identify all two-tone signals from three vehicles within ten seconds, while combustion engine sounds were easily localized.
- Lead researcher Leon Müller stated balancing quieter electric vehicle noise with effective detection and localization is crucial, and Kropp emphasized avoiding negative effects on people while ensuring safety.
- The findings highlight a gap in current standards that focus on detectability but neglect directional clarity, suggesting a need for improved, varied sound designs to enhance pedestrian safety.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Electric Cars' Warning Sounds Could Be Creating A Serious Safety Problem For Pedestrians
New research reveals a troubling flaw in how we've designed safety sounds for electric and hybrid vehicles. The post Electric Cars’ Warning Sounds Could Be Creating A Serious Safety Problem For Pedestrians appeared first on Study Finds.
You’re not imagining it: Silly sounds make EVs hard to hear coming down the street
Over the past several years, electric vehicles have garnered something of a reputation for their unusual sounds on the road. Otherworldly EV warning sounds have been compared to “a celestial choir,” a “flying saucer hum,” and, in one TikTok with 23.5 million views, the song that might play just before ascending to heaven. But the angelic warble that’s come to characterize EV acoustics might have a few drawbacks for pedestrians. A new study cond…
You hear the beep, but can’t find the car: The hidden flaw in electric vehicle safety
As electric vehicles grow more popular, their warning sounds may not be doing enough to protect pedestrians. A Swedish study shows that these signals are hard to locate, especially when multiple vehicles are involved, leaving people unable to tell where danger is coming from or how many cars are nearby.
Electric car warning signals prove hard to locate at low speeds, study finds
As electric cars become more common, vulnerable road users are encountering more and more warning signals from them. Now, new research from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, shows that one of the most common signal types is very difficult for humans to locate, especially when multiple similar vehicles are in motion simultaneously.
Why do pedestrians not know where an electric car comes from? That question has prompted a recent research by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, which has tested the actual effectiveness of warning acoustic systems in electric vehicles (AVAS). Although these systems meet the requirements of being "auditable", the study reveals that they are not easily traceable, which could pose a risk in urban environments with multiple vehicles in mo…
Why electric vehicle sounds are confusing for humans
(Photo by Bob Osias via Unsplash) By Dean Murray We can hear electric cars but have no idea where they are, according to new research. A study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden shows that one of the most common signal types is very difficult for humans to locate, especially when multiple similar vehicles are in motion simultaneously like in a supermarket car park. Researchers investigated how well people can locate three common ty…
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