July 5, 2019—Electric vehicles are quiet. Perhaps too quiet.
That could cause problems between pedestrians and drivers who don't see each other. European policymakers took action to try and prevent the two groups from colliding.
New electric vehicles in Europe will need to be outfitted with a noise device that, according to the BBC, "sounds like a traditional engine."
The sound would be activated if the vehicle is reversing or moving slower than 12 mph (or 19 km/hr for those affected by the policy).
"This new requirement will give pedestrians added confidence when crossing the road," British Roads Minister Michael Ellis told the BBC.
The requirement begins in 2021.
