Toyota news
24/08/2007

Toyota's silent hybrid poses a new threat to the blind

A group of blind pedestrians is calling for Toyota and other manufacturers of hybrid cars to make their vehicles more noisy. The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) says that such vehicles are so quiet when running on electric power that is impossible to hear them coming, making the roads a much more dangerous place for the visually impaired.

Toyota's Prius is perhaps the best known hybrid currently on the market, but Lexus, Honda and Ford all offer models powered by the same type of drivetrain. Their eco-friendly credentials mean demand for hybrids is likely to rise over the coming years according to many industry experts.

One of the main selling points for these cars is their ability to 'run silently' - a feature that's desirable to practically everyone except the blind community. However, the AEBC isn't asking Toyota and its competitors to restore a petrol engine-like level of noise pollution; rather, they want something that's "inoffensive but useful," in the words of one spokesperson. Suggested solutions include a noisemaking device fitted either to the car's radiator fan or one of its axels.

Responses have so far been less-than-promising from the major hybrid producers. According to Toyota Canada: "We have to balance the needs of sight-impaired people and pedestrians with other social concerns like noise pollution."

"The prospect of a near-silent engine is appealing to a great number of prospective car buyers, and that makes it a priority for the automotive industry. With this factor against them, it's sadly doubtful if the concerns of minority groups like the AEBC will be paid much attention," said a spokeswoman for CoverGirl Car Insurance Services.

 

 

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