Position Statement on Quiet Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

The last few years has seen a rise in the interest in electric and hybrid vehicles, with an increasing number coming onto the market. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs) recognises the environmental benefits of hybrid and electric vehicles and their role in improving fuel economy and reducing carbon emissions. However, electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles which operate on electric power at low speed, are virtually silent. Thus there are serious implications for the independent mobility and safety of blind and partially sighted people.

Our concerns

Blind and partially sighted people are reliant on audible environmental cues to assist with their mobility and orientation. The sound of a vehicle’s engine is used as a good indicator to establish its movement, speed and proximity. This is particularly important when crossing roads, especially when there are no controlled pedestrian crossings with audible and tactile indicators. The sound of oncoming traffic, or absence of this sound, is used as a cue to assess when it is safe to cross the road.

Blind and partially sighted people are reliant on the following audible cues from a vehicle to judge when it is safe to cross a road:

 

• How far they are away from the vehicle travelling towards them.
• The speed of the vehicle relative to the environmental conditions
• The vehicle’s state in terms of acceleration or deceleration
• The type and size of the vehicle

 

It is also helpful to blind or partially sighted people to know when vehicles are waiting at traffic lights. If a hybrid vehicle is stationary at a pedestrian crossing, it may not be heard. This could be important when the vehicle is just about to move off, and may accelerate at speed. This is also an issue in relation to vehicles with combustion engines with a new initiative by manufacturers to introduce automatic "switch off" when vehicles are stopped for a period of time.

Most vehicles with a combustion engine have a distinct sound and range of noises to indicate their actions. These are familiar to most blind and partially sighted people, who can detect a vehicle’s presence and estimate its type and size. Quiet electric and hybrid vehicles need to have a way of indicating their presence, direction of travel towards or away from the listener, speed and rate of acceleration or deceleration. Vehicles should also emit a sound when reversing.

One way of doing this is to create an artificial sound indicating the vehicle’s presence and replicating the vehicle’s state. The problems of noise pollution are recognised; it is therefore important to identify the minimum requirements of artificial sound.

Any sound generated by a hybrid or electric vehicle needs to be distinct so as to be recognised as a vehicle, and indicate its distance from the listener, direction and speed of travel.

The sound must be discernible in a wide range of environmental conditions - from the quietest country lane to the busiest town centre.

The effect of wind, rain, reflected sound from large buildings, sound shadows created by obstructions all need to be taken into account.

Consideration must be given to people with hearing impairments. Many blind and partially sighted people also have reduced hearing. Older people often have reduced sight and hearing. Any sound used for electric and hybrid vehicles should be at least as discernible to people with impaired hearing as petrol/diesel vehicles.

Consideration should also be given to the requirement for sound within a vehicle to indicate its movement. Many blind and partially sighted people can determine information about the movement of a vehicle when travelling in it from the engine sound. This may be particularly important when travelling in a bus or taxi or other public transport.

Implications for other vulnerable road users

Guide Dogs considers that quiet electric and hybrid vehicles will also have implications for other groups of pedestrians including older people and young children; and also for cyclists.

A recent report released by the USA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that hybrid and electric vehicles are nearly twice as likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians as vehicles with internal combustion engines.

Quiet vehicles and shared surface streets

The implications of a combination of quiet hybrid or electric vehicles and shared surface street design, following the ‘shared space’ concept, must also be considered. Guide Dogs research has demonstrated that shared surface streets, where the footway and carriageway are level without effective delineation and where movement relies on eye contact between pedestrian and driver, affect the mobility and independence of blind and partially sighted people and many shared surface schemes have become no-go areas. Without footways with kerbs, or effective delineation, it becomes frighteningly easy for blind and partially sighted pedestrians to walk into the path of approaching traffic. If approaching vehicles cannot be heard the risk is greatly increased.

Charging of electric vehicles

Local authorities must consider the design and location of public charging points, to ensure they are located away from pedestrian routes and cables do not present a hazard to pedestrians. The issue of charging vehicles at private residences where there is no off-street parking must also be considered, as this may potentially involve running cables across footways.

Guide Dogs’ activity on the issue of quiet vehicles

Guide Dogs has worked closely with The Joint Committee on Mobility of Blind and Partially Sighted People (JCMBPS), an independent umbrella body comprising the principle organisations representing blind, deafblind and partially sighted people with an interest in mobility issues, for which Guide Dogs provides the secretariat.

We have raised the issue of quiet vehicles with Ministers and devolved governments over the last three years and called on the Department for Transport to undertake research on the implications of quiet vehicles for blind and partially sighted people and other vulnerable pedestrians to determine the need for regulations and guidance.

The Department for Transport has now commissioned The Transport Research Laboratory to carry out two pieces of research. The first is a study of accidents between pedestrians and quiet vehicles. Initial data shows a nearly three-fold increase in the accidents reported over a three year period. They are also carrying out a study with blind and partially sighted participants to measure their detection of quiet vehicles, in a simulated trial. Guide Dogs is helping to recruit participants.

Guide Dogs and JCMBPS have worked with Lotus Engineering to develop an external sound technology for use on hybrid electric vehicles to enhance pedestrian safety.

Lotus Engineering has simulated a real engine sound for use on its ‘Safe & Sound’ hybrid technology demonstrator vehicle, with its pitch and frequency helping to identify the vehicles distance and speed. When the car is operating on the electric motor only, throttle and speed dependent synthesised sound projects a realistic engine sound in front of the vehicle. Once the vehicle has passed, the sound is not heard, and the driver hears almost none of the additional sound.

Research is also taking place at Warwick University and we will be involved in any trials.

With the European Blind Union (EBU) we have been in contact with car manufacturers including Nissan and Renault, and recently attended a demonstration of their vehicles and audible warning sound properties. Both have recognised the need for electric and hybrid vehicles to have sound. The Nissan vehicles to be launched in Europe in 2011 will have sound developed following trials with blind and partially sighted people in the USA and Japan; EBU will be involved in subsequent trials for future developments.

Guide Dogs is monitoring European Commission activity on this issue; and we have contributed to the development of a position statement for ANEC - Association of Non-government European Consumers on standardisation - on the need for the development of European and International standards.

Current European Activity

A maximum sound level for cars to limit noise pollution is set by Regulation 51 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), but there is no minimum level set. However, UNECE Working Party 29 has determined that road transport vehicles propelled in whole or in part by electric means, which are silent, present a danger to pedestrians. A working group has been created to address this problem and to define a minimum sound for vehicles.

The first objectives of this dedicated working group will be to examine the safety risk for blind pedestrians linked to quieter cars, to identify the information needed by blind pedestrians, and to assess the potential effectiveness and acceptability of technical solutions. In the next step the task of this group will be to develop a sound system enabling pedestrians to make an intelligent judgement about the location of a vehicle, its driving direction and its speed.

The European Commission has also stated its intention to consider whether the quietness of these vehicles is potentially dangerous to vulnerable road users as stated in their Communication to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee. However, this action is not due to take place until 2012. We urge the Commission to take action on this sooner.

Guide Dogs Recommendations:

• The Department for Transport should continue research into the safety profile of electric and hybrid vehicles for blind and partially sighted people; publish the findings of this research and use the information to inform the development of national policy and guidance on this issue.
• The Department for Transport and devolved governments should develop regulation and guidance on the design and location of public charging points; and on charging of vehicles at private residences and other premises.
• Awareness and education campaigns should be developed targeting:
  • Blind and partially sighted people and other vulnerable groups to raise awareness of current concerns and provide information on activity planned to resolve or reduce these concerns
  • Drivers of quiet hybrid and electric vehicles to make them aware of the additional risks that these vehicles can pose for blind and partially sighted people and others; and to provide guidance on charging the vehicles to minimise the potential hazard of cables to pedestrians.
• Recognising that this is an international issue the Department for Transport and devolved governments should work with the European Commission and others.
• The European Commission should carry out planned work on this issue at the earliest possible time to determine the need for regulation and standards; and consider the potential for harmonising with global standards.
• Vehicle manufacturers should raise awareness among drivers of the need for consideration of blind and partially sighted and other pedestrians when charging electric vehicles. Manufacturers should continue to work on sound developments and in the meantime consider raising awareness among drivers of the potential risks to pedestrians and other road users when driving ‘quiet’ vehicles.
• All parties should engage with blind and partially sighted people and representative organisations, and with other relevant groups, to ensure that their interests are fully considered in research undertaken and in the development of policy, standards and guidance.

Carol Thomas, Access and Inclusion Manager, Guide Dogs

For further information please contact:

John Welsman, Transport Policy Officer, Email john.welsman@guidedogs.org.uk Tel: (0118) 983 8844

Helen Aluko-olokun, Access Policy Officer, Email Helen.aluko-olokun@guidedogs.org.uk Tel: (01483) 304832

For a copy of this position statement in print, large print, CD or Braille please contact:

Gill Kenyon, Access Information Officer, Email gill.kenyon@guidedogs.org.uk Tel 0845 241 2178