Congress five years ago passed a law requiring the agency to draft such laws to protect pedestrians and cyclists, as EVs and hybrids are extremely quiet, particularly at low speeds, when powered by an electric motor rather than an internal-combustion engine.
The NHTSA was originally instructed to finalize the regulations by January 2014, however the target was missed. Agency administrator Mark Rosekind in July said the rules would be finalized by November but, again, the implementation has been delayed until mid-March or later.
The Department of Transportation has claimed “additional coordination is necessary” before finalizing the regulations, without elaborating, according to a Reuters report.
The proposal has received vocal support from advocates for the blind. Some automakers voluntarily integrate such technology, though there is no industry standard and drivers can choose to disable the systems. The government’s guidelines will likely require quiet vehicles to begin producing artificial sound at speeds of 18 mph or less.
The government expects the requirements to prevent approximately 2,800 injuries annually.
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