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Noisy cars have always been synonymous with outdated cars. Advertisers, aware of the embarrassment a rust bucket spluttering and back firing causes to its owner, played upon this when promoting their new cars. In contrast to older models, a defining aspect of the modern car is its smoothness and quiet engine; what the New York Times describes as “an auto that purrs, glides almost silently in traffic.” Many motor companies have perfected the quiet car. However, recent developments have proved that hybrid and electric cars will be even quieter than their traditionally fuelled counterparts.

Green cars are already gaining momentum, with Ford Motor Company estimating that in ten years electric and hybrid vehicles will dominate their production lineup. Along with its’ partners Ford proposes to release 740 vehicles, serving 55 million customers in four different sectors; small cars, small sports vehicles, small business vans and large vans. Students in the automotive industry or those with trades such as electricians, technicians and mechanics could benefit from this development. The introduction of a new electric vehicle based market means that a new network of skilled labor would need to be established and new equipment would be necessary.

Not only will the introduction of energy efficient vehicles create jobs and benefit the environment, they will also reduce noise pollution. However, according to safety experts, this may not be entirely positive. They believe that noiseless cars may post a threat to pedestrians who cannot hear them approaching and some sort of sound should be incorporated into the vehicles. The New York Times reports: “Indeed, just as cellphones have ring tones, “car tones” may not be far behind — an option for owners of electric vehicles to choose the sound their cars emit.”

In an effort to comply with new regulations passed by The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, which introduces a federal safety standard for silent cars, many motor companies are thinking of novel ways to add noise to their green cars. The New York Times reports: “The Fisker Karma, an $87,900 plug-in hybrid expected to go on sale next year, will emit a sound — pumped out of speakers in the bumpers.” The sound is expected to be a mix of a formula one car and a starship.

The New York Times reports how a study, conducted by the University of California proved that “People listening in a lab could correctly detect a gas-powered car’s approach when it was 28 feet away, but could not hear the arrival of a hybrid operating in silent battery mode until it was only seven feet away.”

A Toyota spokesman says: “I don’t know of any injuries related to this, but it is a concern. We are moving rapidly toward broader use of electrification in vehicles, and it’s a fact that these cars are very quiet and could pose a risk to unsighted people.” The possibility of choosing your own car sounds is also being explored.

There is some opposition to these ideas however, as some believe that companies’ hard work in reducing sound pollution should not be overlooked. What do you think?