Toyota to Sell Vehicle Audible System for Prius
25 August 2010
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) will begin sales in Japan on 30 August of an onboard device designed to alert pedestrians and others audibly to the presence of a quiet vehicle, such as a gasoline-electric hybrid. The device will be available nationwide through authorized Toyota dealers and Toyota genuine parts and accessories distributors for retrofitting on the third-generation Prius.
The onboard device automatically emits a synthesized sound of an electric motor when the Prius is operating as an electric vehicle at speeds up to approximately 25 km/h (15.5 mph). The sound rises and falls in pitch relative to the vehicle’s speed, thus helping indicate the vehicle’s proximity and movement.
The device is designed to meet new Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism guidelines for hybrid and other near-silent vehicles. TMC also plans other versions of the device for use in gasoline-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles as well as fuel-cell hybrid vehicles planned for launch.
It doesn't sound like a Jetsonmobile? D'ohh!!
Posted by: richard schumacher | 25 August 2010 at 06:07 AM
Never imagine that somebody would willingly add more noise to our noisy environment. The next gadget will add CO2 to compensate for e-vehicle low emissions? How about something to add diesel burning smell?
Posted by: HarveyD | 25 August 2010 at 10:44 AM
Toyota should allow customers to download any sound tone desired (e.g. Jetsonmobile, Hummer, dragster, Model T, Harrier . . .).
Posted by: Sanity Chk | 25 August 2010 at 11:23 AM
How about just mount some of the large number of speakers pointed outside of the car? Then the driver can really impress the pedestrians with what ever he/she is listening to.
Add a microphone that allows the driver to project his/her voice loudly outside the car and I'm sure there will be a lot of orders for these options.
This can really raise the level of intervehicular communication from the finger gestures into actual voice communication.
Posted by: Roger Pham | 25 August 2010 at 07:55 PM
And here I was thinking that silent operation was one of the BIG advantages of electric vehicles. There's already too much noise in our world.
Sometimes things just seem to go backwards.
Posted by: Arne | 26 August 2010 at 03:48 AM
Not a new idea. It's called a Vroom Box.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Njf83pADY
http://www.vroombox.com/vroombox/
Another brand is called "soundracer."
http://www.soundracer.se/
Posted by: ai_vin | 26 August 2010 at 09:12 AM
RP: Many young (partially deaf) drivers to it already)
Anne: I fully agree with you. However, with todays technology, white cane users could automatically trigger BEVs 30,000 Hz warning signals that could be picked up by their personal receiver and activate a private buzzer or any sound gadget they prefer to carry. That way other people would not even hear those high frequency signals and everybody would be happy.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 August 2010 at 09:22 AM
Hey, thanks, ai vin for introducing the "Vroom Box." Install a big enough speaker with ample of bass vibration, and a Prius driver can fool himself into thinking he is driving a V-8 muscle car.
This could be a "green" device in that it allows people who drive economy cars to get the feel and sound of a big bore V-8 car with the deep throaty exhaust.
With engine downsizing and turbo or supercharging, small-engine car now can have the power and acceleration of big-bored V-8 engine car of yesteryears. The only thing missing is the
vibration and the deep throaty rumbling exhaust...Now we can have both, with the likes of the Vroom Box!
Posted by: Roger Pham | 26 August 2010 at 07:06 PM