Coming Soon: Downloadable ringtones for your silent electric car?
Like to download new ringtones for your phone so that you don't sound like everybody else in the world that opts for the free cell phones from their chosen service provider? The same kind of thing is reportedly in the works for future electric cars.
We've been hearing for the last few years that the near silent nature of hybrids and EVs is a potential safety problem for pedestrians, especially for children and those hard of hearing, and these so-called "car tones" are seen as a possible answer to this problem.
At this point, there isn't any real data that suggests these quiet cars are any more or less dangerous to pedestrians than any other two-ton behemoth rolling down the road, but its still an issue being looked at closely by automakers.
According to the New York Times, companies like BMW, Fisker and Nissan are currently working with Hollywood special-effects teams and the film industry on new sounds that could be downloaded to current and future electric cars. We want our first EV to sound like Darth Vader's TIE Fighter and the horn to grunt like Chewie. Why not?
[Source: New York Times | Photo: Flickr/robad0b via C.C. 2.0]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Luso 10:38AM (10/16/2009)
"...We want our first EV to sound like Darth Vader's TIE Fighter and the horn to grunt like Chewie. Why not?..."
Because it will be banned by some strange legislative law against having a sense of humour.
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INTERNET SUPERHERO 10:41AM (10/16/2009)
This sorta thing could revolutionize the Ice Cream Truck industry...=P
matt234 1:53PM (10/16/2009)
Last time I checked all the Priuses out there were not causing a problem, and they can be driven with the engine off at low speed. Why would purely electric cars be any different?
I have no problem with people expressing their personality using their phone, and a ring tone on a phone only lasts a few seconds, even if they are loud and annoying. Having that constant soundtrack on a car would be a disaster.
Try turning on two different radios with two different stations. Now do that with 10 radios. You think people would stick to engine noise "ringtones"? Not likely. Bad, bad, bad idea. Let's just stick with letting people bolt on ugly things to their cars.
TGear 10:39AM (10/16/2009)
What did they do to the RX 8 in the picture!
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LaserRed38 4:27PM (10/16/2009)
Dub 7s yo! They cause earthquakes, wake the dead, make hearts stop and cure cancer all at the same time!
Of course the 5 pairs of coaxials are needed to "keep up with the bass".
Imag 10:39AM (10/16/2009)
Poor RX-8...
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GDUb 12:51PM (10/16/2009)
this makes baby jesus cry.
Luso 10:39AM (10/16/2009)
...and because you would have to pay copyrights everytime you use it.
LOL
http://www.carnorama.com
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INTERNET SUPERHERO 10:40AM (10/16/2009)
I'm going to make my EV sound like a Diesel Truck just to piss people off...
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My_SS_RX8 3:12PM (10/16/2009)
with a jake brake for slowing down.
Avinash machado 10:41AM (10/16/2009)
What about a Harley Davidson exhaust sound?
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dukeisduke 10:44AM (10/16/2009)
Loud ringtones save lives?
Hondaman Calgary 10:42AM (10/16/2009)
That would so be awesome! How about Homer's "mmmmmm .... Donuts...."? Or keeping with Star Wars, the sound of the light saber, so many possibilities!
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Evan 10:44AM (10/16/2009)
I just know some idiot is going to install an endless Kanye West loop as his car's sound.
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Hondaman Calgary 10:57AM (10/16/2009)
I can also picture that and of course the inevitable, endless farting.
Ed 2:17PM (10/16/2009)
Heheh... or better/worse, imagine someone rolling down the street with their EV and...
cue the Benny Hill soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spz8_rpE0e0
Mike G 10:57AM (10/16/2009)
LOL jokes, the hard of hearing might not hear a mack truck coming at them, let alone a hybrid.
it's funny cuz i was having this convo with someone recently and i also said hard of hearing instead of blind as well ;)
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tehpyro 11:00AM (10/16/2009)
they had something like this on pimp my ride!
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tehpyro 11:02AM (10/16/2009)
Though I have to add that it was for a van that they were redoing. They put speakers on the bottom of the van and had a module mounted on the dash. The module was filled with various synthetic engine noises from every young adolescent's dream cars programmed into it and when you press on the gas pedal it would play these sounds in sync with the amount of "power" that you are applying to the gas pedal.
Gary 11:10AM (10/16/2009)
Taste knows no boundaries. Just like people who customize every Windows color and sound effect to something ridiculous because it derives some strange pleasure, or people who manage to make a train wreck of a PowerPoint presentation but are so proud of their abomination, people will be putting ridiculous sound effects on their cars. Imagine walking down the street and hearing... I don't know... an elephant... or the Super Mario Brothers soundtrack.
I hope noise ordinance bylaws prevent crap like this.
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