Dont mess with the PWS on your EV.

[electruck]

Another member on the forum suggested that if you have a problem with a speaker on your Rivian making a sound...try being blind for a day and getting around ....that point is simply brilliant...walk in someone else's shoes, then decide if the rules are helping someone or hurting you...

I guarantee that would be enlightening but that, of course, assumes the folks attempting were still alive at the end of the day.

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[Speedrye]

I don't understand why it's so difficult to have a simple requirement saying "if vehicle X makes below Y decibels at Z speed, a safety system is needed". Apparently that's too difficult for our government to handle though.

 

[electruck]

I don't understand why it's so difficult to have a simple requirement saying "if vehicle X makes below Y decibels at Z speed, a safety system is needed". Apparently that's too difficult for our government to handle though.

Unfortunately the government rarely, if ever, is able to take a holistic approach. In some cases it's a lack of awareness or foresight. In other cases it would simply be impossible to pass something more comprehensive. So we tend to end up with watered down, compromise legislation that doesn't address the broader problem without bias for or against some special interest. Another example where a more holistic approach is needed is funding for roads. But instead of replacing the gas tax with a system equally applicable to all vehicles, they pursue special new ways of taxing alternative fuel vehicles.

 

[hilld]

I can see a future programmable sound box being made by the aftermarket. On the ID.4, if you unplug it, it sets a fault light on the dash. So the ECU is looking for the presence of speakers, but who says you can't replace it with something else as it is just looking for a particular resistance value.

 

[norivian]

I know there are countless adults with perfect vision walking around as if everyone else should value their safety more that they do and I understand your frustration with them. I also find the artificial noises to be annoying, especially while in a natural setting far from other people.

However, there are a lot of people out there with vision problems which cause them to rely on sound to at least augment their ability to detect threats in addition to the folks who are legally blind and who will rely entirely on sound. Plus, kids can get pretty engrossed in whatever captures their imagination not noticing anything going on around them and they are not as easily seen by drivers. We need to consider all of these folks, too.

I can’t speak for anyone else but I’d be devastated if I injured or killed someone because I disabled a safety feature which could have saved their life. I cannot imagine the guilt I’d feel for the rest of my life over having prioritized eliminating a noise which which I found annoying over the welfare of someone else.

I believe some people just really need to get back to the basics - look left and right before you cross the street. It’s unbelievable how many people don’t.

 

[electruck]

I believe some people just really need to get back to the basics - look left and right before you cross the street. It’s unbelievable how many people don’t.

Yes, that would absolutely address a subset of scenarios discussed in this thread but it certainly doesn't cover them all. It's the inability of many to look beyond their own experiences and acknowledge that there are indeed other scenarios that need to be addressed that has caused so much debate in this thread.

Case in point, it's not always the pedestrian. Sometimes it's the driver who needs to be aware of pedestrians in addition to vehicle traffic. My wife and I have almost been hit on multiple occasions in a crosswalk, making a legal crossing - by some VERY startled drivers who simply weren't paying attention to the pedestrian traffic. I can at least see those vehicles coming. My visually impaired wife is forced to rely on the audible cues of vehicles, vehicle traffic and stoplight patterns, and audible crosswalk signals (when they exist) to know when it is safe to cross a street. If those vehicles can't be trusted not to mow over pedestrians crossing legally in a crosswalk, what chance does my wife have if she can't hear them coming?

 

[norivian]

I agree completely. I believe we are on the same page.

Drivers are more and ultimately responsible because the drivers are probably more likely to hurt the pedestrians than the pedestians causing harm to the drivers - and still with exceptions ?. People (pedestrians and drivers alike) can only do so much. Just in general, people need to take responsibilities at their end. Don’t assume the other is. SAFETY IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY.

 

[Speedrye]

Yes, that would absolutely address a subset of scenarios discussed in this thread but it certainly doesn't cover them all. It's the inability of many to look beyond their own experiences and acknowledge that there are indeed other scenarios that need to be addressed that has caused so much debate in this thread.

Case in point, it's not always the pedestrian. Sometimes it's the driver who needs to be aware of pedestrians in addition to vehicle traffic. My wife and I have almost been hit on multiple occasions in a crosswalk, making a legal crossing - by some VERY startled drivers who simply weren't paying attention to the pedestrian traffic. I can at least see those vehicles coming. My visually impaired wife is forced to rely on the audible cues of vehicles, vehicle traffic and stoplight patterns, and audible crosswalk signals (when they exist) to know when it is safe to cross a street. If those vehicles can't be trusted not to mow over pedestrians crossing legally in a crosswalk, what chance does my wife have if she can't hear them coming?

I prefer to take the third world country approach and trust that every driver is out to run me over if I'm a pedestrian. Trust no driver. Sadly, being an impaired pedestrian will never be a safe place, despite our best efforts.

 

[Riviot]

I was surprised that my Rivian was making an audible noise that others could hear...most of them thought it was cool

I haven't heard a single complaint from other people about it. What I hear most from others is "Woah, it sounds like a space ship! That's so cool!"

I believe some people just really need to get back to the basics - look left and right before you cross the street. It’s unbelievable how many people don’t.

DON'T TAKE THE BAIT, GUYS.

 

[2020]

The argument that you cannot hear EVs and have to put an artificial noise doesn't make sense. Other than tire noise I barely hear the engine noise of most new cars, especially luxury vehicles. The manufacturers have done a great job of decreasing engine noise from the outside and on the inside. In Europe manufacturers are required to decrease engine noise. Ferrari and Lamborghini are lobbying to have exclusion clauses.

My solution would be to have a two toned horn. One main horn and another soft horn. I installed a bicycle horn on my Tesla to warn any pedestrians without startling them or anyone not moving on a green light- don't want to piss anyone off with a loud horn.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

My solution would be to have a two toned horn. One main horn and another soft horn. I installed a bicycle horn on my Tesla to warn any pedestrians without startling them or anyone not moving on a green light- don't want to piss anyone off with a loud horn.

 

[electruck]

The argument that you cannot hear EVs and have to put an artificial noise doesn't make sense. Other than tire noise I barely hear the engine noise of most new cars, especially luxury vehicles. The manufacturers have done a great job of decreasing engine noise from the outside and on the inside. In Europe manufacturers are required to decrease engine noise. Ferrari and Lamborghini are lobbying to have exclusion clauses.

My solution would be to have a two toned horn. One main horn and another soft horn. I installed a bicycle horn on my Tesla to warn any pedestrians without startling them or anyone not moving on a green light- don't want to piss anyone off with a loud horn.

Cross a street blindfolded and it will make a lot more sense to you (please don't actually do this as you don't have the skills to do this successfully). A horn would not notify a visually impaired person waiting to cross the street that there was a vehicle stopped at the intersection that might be on a collision course when the stoplight changes. Horns also require the driver to be paying attention to pedestrian traffic and take action based on the presence of pedestrians, something we have already established doesn't always happen (distracted driver, pedestrian stepping out from behind an obstacle, etc).

 

[Inkedsphynx]

The meta of this thread is depressingly like the meta of our society at large.

Lack of perspective, understanding, and empathy for others with differences in ability and capability. Apathy induced by the idea that if we can't do everything, we should do nothing. Selfishness and unwillingness to make the most minor of sacrifices for the well-being of other humans.

I've always had a bit of a hero complex and hope someday that when it is my time to leave Earth, I can go at the service of someone else, helping them in some way. I really hope it's not just so they don't have to be minorly inconvenienced.

 

[22RivianCDH]

Cross a street blindfolded and it will make a lot more sense to you (please don't actually do this as you don't have the skills to do this successfully). A horn would not notify a visually impaired person waiting to cross the street that there was a vehicle stopped at the intersection that might be on a collision course when the stoplight changes. Horns also require the driver to be paying attention to pedestrian traffic and take action based on the presence of pedestrians, something we have already established doesn't always happen (distracted driver, pedestrian stepping out from behind an obstacle, etc).

Thank you for being the voice of reason…I hope that a moment with clarity and insight will occur—-hopefully everyone sees the value in creating a safer environment for everyone including those with a sight impairment or issue. Education is the key.

 

[norivian]

The argument that you cannot hear EVs and have to put an artificial noise doesn't make sense. Other than tire noise I barely hear the engine noise of most new cars, especially luxury vehicles. The manufacturers have done a great job of decreasing engine noise from the outside and on the inside. In Europe manufacturers are required to decrease engine noise. Ferrari and Lamborghini are lobbying to have exclusion clauses.

My solution would be to have a two toned horn. One main horn and another soft horn. I installed a bicycle horn on my Tesla to warn any pedestrians without startling them or anyone not moving on a green light- don't want to piss anyone off with a loud horn.

This is a good solution and taking a lot of personal responsibility. Kudos! ?.

Why do we seem to have to resort to impersonal and indirect solutions to a problem (i.e., making the engine make noise) instead of people driving more carefully and responsibly when pedestrians are around, and taking more personal responsibility. It applies the same way to pedestrians - can pedestrians simply be more careful and mindful of the situation and possible limitations when on foot. If these are not feasible solutions, that is probably the real problem (and dilemna)... not a quiet engine.

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