Warning – EV approaching

Electric vehicles are so quiet there’s been concern about their safety around pedestrians – especially the blind, and other vulnerable road users like cyclists.

Now, on World Sight Day (October 11), new technology has been developed by Jaguar to warn blind, visually impaired and other vulnerable road users its electric I-Pace is approaching at low speed.

Jaguar has designed a unique audible vehicle alert system (AVAS) for its first EV that it says meets and exceeds all forthcoming global legislation.

A sound can be heard at speeds up to 20km/h and exceeds the 56dB(A) minimum required by forthcoming European legislation – the strictest in the world – for all new EVs from July 2019.

The I-Pace’s sound was tested by members of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the UK’s leading charity for people affected by sight loss, as part of the testing undertaken by Jaguar. It also marks the start of an on-going relationship between the two organisations.

“The absence of traditional engine noise from electric vehicles creates a problem for vulnerable pedestrians, such as the blind or visually impaired,” Jaguar NVH technical specialist Iain Suffield says.

“This is especially true at low speeds in town centres and car parks. Our potentially life-saving technology cannot be switched off.”

Jaguar’s engineers worked for four years to develop a soundtrack that is audible yet discreet and cannot be heard from inside the vehicle.

Initial attempts to create a noise inspired by the sound of sci-fi spacecraft had to be shelved after pedestrians reacted by looking up to the sky, rather than at the road.

The I-Pace alert comes from a speaker behind the front grille, can be heard in every direction and cannot be disengaged. It increases in pitch and volume in line with the speed of the vehicle and, when in reverse, is accompanied by an additional tone that indicates the change in direction.

AVAS is not required at higher speeds as there is sufficient wind and tyre noise for pedestrians to hear the zero-emissions vehicle approaching.

“Guide Dogs campaigned hard to make it compulsory for quiet vehicles to have sound generating systems built in and turned on, including when the vehicle is stationary at a pedestrian crossing,” its policy business partner (travel and mobility) John Welsman says. “We applaud Jaguar for being the first to launch an EV which meets standards before the new legislation even comes in and look forward to working with the company more in the future.”

The Hyundai Ioniq also has a low speed pedestrian alert, although its virtual engine sound system (VESS) can be turned off.