Electric cars must emit artificial sounds below 20 km per hour

The silence of electric cars bothers the European Union. The EU fears that risks may arise for the safety of those on the road, especially pedestrians, who might find themselves distracting or crossing the road when an electric car arrives.

Therefore, from 1 July 2019, the community institutions will impose the introduction of special devices that produce artificial noises capable of attracting the attention of passers-by.

The European Union has ordered that electric cars install AVAS (Audible Vehicle Alert System) devices, with the obligation to produce noise in the event of a vehicle running at speeds below 20 kilometers per hour.

Thanks to the sounds, zero-emission cars will be recognizable by everyone, including blind pedestrians.

The sound emitted by electric cars traveling below 20 km per hour must be continuous and of a minimum intensity of 56 decibels. It must also be audible from at least two meters away and not exceed 75 dB. Car manufacturers will be free to customize the type of sound, the stamp and anything else not specified by the EU.

The legislation on the noise of electric cars will come into force on July 1, 2019, only for new vehicles and from 2021 for all electric cars.