In Hamburg, it has been proposed to ban additional artificial engine sound in electric vehicles if it does not serve as a pedestrian warning function. The corresponding initiative is planned to be put to a vote in the city parliament on September 16, after which it may be sent to the Bundesrat.
It is important not to confuse this idea with AVAS – the mandatory Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System. In the EU, an electric vehicle must emit a warning sound when moving at low speeds, approximately up to 20 km/h, and also when reversing. The system's task is to make a quiet car more noticeable to pedestrians and cyclists.
Another type of acoustics is considered a problem. Some manufacturers add external speakers that create an emotional engine sound at speeds above 20 km/h. Such solutions are found, for example, in the Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and Abarth 500e. In this case, the sound is no longer needed for vehicle detection – it imitates the character of a conventional internal combustion engine car.
For technology, this means a potential separation of two functions: AVAS remains a safety feature, while engine sound imitation becomes an optional feature that can be dispensed with. However, the current initiative is not yet an active ban at the EU level.
The paradox is that silence was one of the advantages of electric vehicles in the city. Now, some manufacturers are deliberately bringing back external sound to emphasize the character of sports models. It is precisely this additional acoustics that they propose to separate from the mandatory safety system.