Opinion: We need to talk about this problem with electric cars

One of the best things about electric cars could also become one of their biggest downsides.

Before I proceed, let me first say: I’m a big supporter of electric vehicles. 

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Putting aside debates around cost, charging and energy supply, I think electric cars have the potential to change the world for the better.

However, during the many weeks I’ve spent test-driving electric cars, I’ve become increasingly aware of a major challenge they could pose to society…

As a driver, one of the best things about EVs is their swift, silent acceleration. As a pedestrian, this absence of noise could prove dangerous. 

Whether you're aware of it or not, most of us rely heavily on the audio cues of conventional engines to warn us a vehicle is approaching.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a pedestrian walk out in front of an electric car I was driving, without even realising it was there. 

In one instance, I tailed an elderly man who was walking down the middle of a side street for a good 20 metres before he realised I was there and almost jumped out of his skin with shock. 

It's difficult to know what to do in that scenario, as beeping someone could frighten a pedestrian and result in injury while overtaking them is risky if they're not aware you're there. Your sole option is to roll down the window and shout at them... not ideal.

Making matters worse is the fact we are currently facing a mounting crisis of distraction.

Most pedestrians are wearing AirPods, texting on phones, listening to music or taking calls.

Don’t start me on drivers – many of whom use every stop sign or red traffic light to check notifications on their smartphone.

With road users reaching peak distraction, the subconscious signals we use to identify other vehicles are more crucial than ever.

This is – and has always been – particularly true for vision-impaired people who are already contending with footpaths littered with e-scooters or distracted pedestrians. 

A colleague recently re-shared a 2020 Facebook post that has been shared by 828,000 people.

“Today my husband and I with our two guide dogs had another near miss with an electric car,” the post reads.

“We were crossing a side road and it came in off the main road and passed very close in front of us. 

“If it’d been a petrol or diesel engine, or if it’d had a sound emitter fitted, we’d have heard it, but, apart from the sound of the tyres on the road, it was virtually silent.

“I am a confident guide dog handler but I can honestly say that silent electric vehicles scare me. I fear that it will take serious injury to a blind person, or even worse, death, before any meaningful legislation is put into place.”

It’s true that electric car manufacturers are trying to circumvent the issue of silent electric cars by adding fake acceleration noises and reversing tones to their vehicles.

Overseas, most markets have mandated all electric cars be fitted with acoustic vehicle alerting systems (AVAS) that make noise when the car is reversing or travelling at speeds at or below 20km/h.

A proposal to do the same in Australia is currently under consideration, and many models already sold here offer this functionality.

Unfortunately these systems play Jetsons-inspired bleeps and bloops – not the typical noises we associate with conventional cars.

Given electric cars are still a relatively new addition to our roads, pedestrians don’t immediately connect the dots and realise these noises belong to a vehicle. And I don’t believe they’ll recognise these sounds as “car sounds” for some time. 

The better solution is to run extensive public education campaigns around electric cars and to start equipping electric cars with the ability of play fake engine noises when required.

The onus is also on EV owners to be hyper-vigilant of pedestrians while we're in this transition period.

In my opinion, the accessibility and walkability of Australia's cities is not our strongest suit. 

I’m hoping EVs will improve this in the long run, but we need to address these issues in the short term before anyone gets hurt.