[Quietcars] Clarification: operator enabled or on all the time

[Deborah Kent Stein]

To help clarify the matter, the 2010 Chevy Volt from GM incorporates an 
"active" pedestrian alert system.  The driver turns on the flashing lights, 
which causes a light beeping sound to be emitted as an audible warning.  HR 
734 calls for the development of a "passive" system, one that is not driver 
activated; this would enable pedestrians to take a reasonable share of 
responsibility for their own safety.

Debbie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Wilson" <bwilson4web at hotmail.com>
To: <quietcars at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 12:23 AM
Subject: [Quietcars] Clarification: operator enabled or on all the time


>
> Hi,
>
> Recently, there has been some buzz in the hybrid community that the goal 
> is to:
>
> ". . . There is no sound unless the driver wishes to make sound. Just like 
> the
> horn won't blow until you hit the middle of the steering wheel - the
> pedestrian alert will not sound unless you pull the "flash to pass"
> stalk." - posting in PriusChat, May 25, 9:35 PM.
>
> However, I remember David Evans posting to this list, "It also has to be 
> something that is on any time the key is on and the vehicle is ready to 
> move." 11/1/2007 4:48 PM. Also the language of HR 734 and S 841 are 
> explicit that "require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound" with 
> no mention of an operator control. My understanding is the noise generator 
> would NOT have an operator control.
>
> Am I correct, the noise generator would not have an operator control like 
> a "flash to pass" option on the light control stick?
>
> BACKGROUND: most cars have a light control stalk similar to the turn 
> signal indicator. When passing traffic on the highway or other times when 
> we need to attract the attention of other drivers, we can briefly pull the 
> stalk and flash the lights. It is often used when passing trucks on the 
> highway and has replaced a long forgotten practice of 'bleeping' the horn 
> (for those who drove in the 1950s!) This light switch stalk is spring 
> loaded to return to OFF.
>
> Adding a short bleep to this 'flash to pass' would significantly improve 
> the safety of all drivers, both hybrid and non-hybrid by adding an 
> automatic, audio alarm to the visual, light flash. But we do not see this 
> intent in the current legislation nor any of the advocacy postings for 
> putting audio alarms on hybrids. In fact, I remember some pretty skeptical 
> statements, not just David Evans, that the vehicle operator should have no 
> control of the audio alarm. That is why I'm asking the question.
>
> Bob Wilson
>
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