[Iabs-talk] Fwd: [Njabs-talk] UCR Press Release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear

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____________________________________
 From: qmsingleton at comcast.net
Reply-to: njabs-talk at nfbnet.org
To:  njabs-talk at nfbnet.org
Sent: 4/1/2008 10:15:00 A.M. Central Daylight  Time
Subj: [Njabs-talk] UCR Press Release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to  Hear



UCR press release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to  Hear
University of California, Riverside Press Release:
Hybrid Cars Are  Harder to Hear
Quiet vehicles may pose greater risks to pedestrians, UCR  psychologist finds.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Hybrid cars are so quiet when  operating only with their 
electric
motors that they may pose a risk to the  blind and some other pedestrians, 
research
by a
University of  California, Riverside psychologist suggests.
Preliminary results of the  on-going research project show that hybrid cars 
operating
at
very slow  speeds must be 40 percent closer to pedestrians than  
combustion-engine
vehicles before their location can be audibly detected,  said Lawrence 
Rosenblum,
professor of psychology. Those findings have  implications for pedestrians 
who are
blind,
runners, cyclists, small  children, and others, he said.
“There is a real difference between the  audibility of hybrid vehicles and 
those with
traditional internal  combustion engines that could have effects on the 
safety of
pedestrians  which need to be studied,” Rosenblum said. “Our preliminary  
findings
could
mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars,  particularly at 
intersections
and in
parking lots.”
In a research  project funded by the National Federation of the Blind, 
Rosenblum  made
audio recordings of hybrid and combustion-engine cars in a quiet  parking 
lot. The
vehicles moved no faster than 5 miles per hour to assure  that the hybrid car 
operated
only
with its electric motor. Subjects in a  lab listened to the recordings and 
indicated
when
they could hear from  which direction the car approached. Subjects could make 
these
judgments  sooner when listening to the combustion-engine car than when 
listening
to  the
hybrid car.
At speeds above 20 to 25 miles per hour hybrid cars  likely generate enough 
tire and
aerodynamic noise to make them sufficiently  audible, Rosenblum said.
“This research provides evidence that hybrid cars,  when operating in silent 
mode,
pose a
substantial risk to blind people  and other pedestrians. We hope that 
regulators and
car
manufacturers  will take notice of these results and take steps to eliminate 
this
risk,”  said
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, a  
50,000-member
advocacy organization for people who are blind or have low  vision.
Rosenblum, who is an adviser to the Society of Automotive Engineers  and sits 
on
committees that make recommendations to the auto industry, has  spent many 
years
researching perception of approaching cars and whether  there are 
similarities between
visual and auditory perception of  approach.
“I really do feel this is an issue for more than those who are  blind,” he 
said.
We’re also
talking about bike riders, runners and  others. Walking around with my kids 
in a parking
lot makes it very clear  that I’m using hearing and vision to determine where 
 things
are.”
Rosenblum is continuing the study with greater levels of  background noise and
eventually will test people who are blind in parking  lots to determine the 
level
of risk. In
April he will meet with Stanford  University researchers who are developing 
different
sounds that would  enhance the ability of pedestrians to hear approaching 
hybrid and
electric  cars.
“Everyone’s aware of the issue,” he said. However, Rosenblum said,  “We are 
not talking
about major changes to the way automobiles are  designed, but about slightly 
increasing
their audibility when they are  traveling slowly. Only a subtle sound 
enhancement
should
be  required.”

UCR press release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to  Hear
University of California, Riverside Press Release:
Hybrid Cars Are  Harder to Hear
Quiet vehicles may pose greater risks to pedestrians, UCR  psychologist finds.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Hybrid cars are so quiet when  operating only with their 
electric
motors that they may pose a risk to the  blind and some other pedestrians, 
research
by a
University of  California, Riverside psychologist suggests.
Preliminary results of the  on-going research project show that hybrid cars 
operating
at
very slow  speeds must be 40 percent closer to pedestrians than  
combustion-engine
vehicles before their location can be audibly detected,  said Lawrence 
Rosenblum,
professor of psychology. Those findings have  implications for pedestrians 
who are
blind,
runners, cyclists, small  children, and others, he said.
“There is a real difference between the  audibility of hybrid vehicles and 
those with
traditional internal  combustion engines that could have effects on the 
safety of
pedestrians  which need to be studied,” Rosenblum said. “Our preliminary  
findings
could
mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars,  particularly at 
intersections
and in
parking lots.”
In a research  project funded by the National Federation of the Blind, 
Rosenblum  made
audio recordings of hybrid and combustion-engine cars in a quiet  parking 
lot. The
vehicles moved no faster than 5 miles per hour to assure  that the hybrid car 
operated
only
with its electric motor. Subjects in a  lab listened to the recordings and 
indicated
when
they could hear from  which direction the car approached. Subjects could make 
these
judgments  sooner when listening to the combustion-engine car than when 
listening
to  the
hybrid car.
At speeds above 20 to 25 miles per hour hybrid cars  likely generate enough 
tire and
aerodynamic noise to make them sufficiently  audible, Rosenblum said. < BR>“
This research provides evidence that  hybrid cars, when operating in silent 
mode,
pose a
substantial risk to  blind people and other pedestrians. We hope that 
regulators  and
car
manufacturers will take notice of these results and take steps  to eliminate 
this
risk,” said
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National  Federation of the Blind, a 
50,000-member
advocacy organization for people  who are blind or have low vision.
Rosenblum, who is an adviser to the  Society of Automotive Engineers and sits 
on
committees that make  recommendations to the auto industry, has spent many 
years
researching  perception of approaching cars and whether there are 
similarities  between
visual and auditory perception of approach.
“I really do feel  this is an issue for more than those who are blind,” he 
said.
We’re  also
talking about bike riders, runners and others. Walking around with my  kids 
in a parking
lot makes it very clear that I’m using hearing and vision  to determine where 
things
are.”
Rosenblum is continuing the study with  greater levels of background noise and
eventually will test people who are  blind in parking lots to determine the 
level
of risk. In
April he will  meet with Stanford University researchers who are developing  
different
sounds that would enhance the ability of pedestrians to hear  approaching 
hybrid and
electric cars.
“Everyone’s aware of the issue,”  he said. However, Rosenblum said, “We are 
not talking
about major changes  to the way automobiles are designed, but about slightly 
increasing
their  audibility when they are traveling slowly. Only a subtle sound  
enhancement
should
be  required.”

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From: qmsingleton at comcast.net
Reply-to: njabs-talk at nfbnet.org
To: njabs-talk at nfbnet.org
Sent: 4/1/2008 10:15:00 A.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: [Njabs-talk] UCR Press Release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear
 
UCR press release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear
University of California, Riverside Press Release:
Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear
Quiet vehicles may pose greater risks to pedestrians, UCR psychologist finds.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Hybrid cars are so quiet when operating only with their electric
motors that they may pose a risk to the blind and some other pedestrians, research
by a
University of California, Riverside psychologist suggests.
Preliminary results of the on-going research project show that hybrid cars operating
at
very slow speeds must be 40 percent closer to pedestrians than combustion-engine
vehicles before their location can be audibly detected, said Lawrence Rosenblum,
professor of psychology. Those findings have implications for pedestrians who are
blind,
runners, cyclists, small children, and others, he said.
“There is a real difference between the audibility of hybrid vehicles and those with
traditional internal combustion engines that could have effects on the safety of
pedestrians which need to be studied,” Rosenblum said. “Our preliminary findings
could
mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars, particularly at intersections
and in
parking lots.”
In a research project funded by the National Federation of the Blind, Rosenblum made
audio recordings of hybrid and combustion-engine cars in a quiet parking lot. The
vehicles moved no faster than 5 miles per hour to assure that the hybrid car operated
only
with its electric motor. Subjects in a lab listened to the recordings and indicated
when
they could hear from which direction the car approached. Subjects could make these
judgments sooner when listening to the combustion-engine car than when listening
to the
hybrid car.
At speeds above 20 to 25 miles per hour hybrid cars likely generate enough tire and
aerodynamic noise to make them sufficiently audible, Rosenblum said.
“This research provides evidence that hybrid cars, when operating in silent mode,
pose a
substantial risk to blind people and other pedestrians. We hope that regulators and
car
manufacturers will take notice of these results and take steps to eliminate this
risk,” said
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, a 50,000-member
advocacy organization for people who are blind or have low vision.
Rosenblum, who is an adviser to the Society of Automotive Engineers and sits on
committees that make recommendations to the auto industry, has spent many years
researching perception of approaching cars and whether there are similarities between
visual and auditory perception of approach.
“I really do feel this is an issue for more than those who are blind,” he said.
We’re also
talking about bike riders, runners and others. Walking around with my kids in a parking
lot makes it very clear that I’m using hearing and vision to determine where things
are.”
Rosenblum is continuing the study with greater levels of background noise and
eventually will test people who are blind in parking lots to determine the level
of risk. In
April he will meet with Stanford University researchers who are developing different
sounds that would enhance the ability of pedestrians to hear approaching hybrid and
electric cars.
“Everyone’s aware of the issue,” he said. However, Rosenblum said, “We are not talking
about major changes to the way automobiles are designed, but about slightly increasing
their audibility when they are traveling slowly. Only a subtle sound enhancement
should
be required.”
 UCR press release: Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear
University of California, Riverside Press Release:
Hybrid Cars Are Harder to Hear
Quiet vehicles may pose greater risks to pedestrians, UCR psychologist finds.
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Hybrid cars are so quiet when operating only with their electric
motors that they may pose a risk to the blind and some other pedestrians, research
by a
University of California, Riverside psychologist suggests.
Preliminary results of the on-going research project show that hybrid cars operating
at
very slow speeds must be 40 percent closer to pedestrians than combustion-engine
vehicles before their location can be audibly detected, said Lawrence Rosenblum,
professor of psychology. Those findings have implications for pedestrians who are
blind,
runners, cyclists, small children, and others, he said.
“There is a real difference between the audibility of hybrid vehicles and those with
traditional internal combustion engines that could have effects on the safety of
pedestrians which need to be studied,” Rosenblum said. “Our preliminary findings
could
mean that there is an added danger with hybrid cars, particularly at intersections
and in
parking lots.”
In a research project funded by the National Federation of the Blind, Rosenblum made
audio recordings of hybrid and combustion-engine cars in a quiet parking lot. The
vehicles moved no faster than 5 miles per hour to assure that the hybrid car operated
only
with its electric motor. Subjects in a lab listened to the recordings and indicated
when
they could hear from which direction the car approached. Subjects could make these
judgments sooner when listening to the combustion-engine car than when listening
to the
hybrid car.
At speeds above 20 to 25 miles per hour hybrid cars likely generate enough tire and
aerodynamic noise to make them sufficiently audible, Rosenblum said. < BR>“This research provides evidence that hybrid cars, when operating in silent mode,
pose a
substantial risk to blind people and other pedestrians. We hope that regulators and
car
manufacturers will take notice of these results and take steps to eliminate this
risk,” said
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, a 50,000-member
advocacy organization for people who are blind or have low vision.
Rosenblum, who is an adviser to the Society of Automotive Engineers and sits on
committees that make recommendations to the auto industry, has spent many years
researching perception of approaching cars and whether there are similarities between
visual and auditory perception of approach.
“I really do feel this is an issue for more than those who are blind,” he said.
We’re also
talking about bike riders, runners and others. Walking around with my kids in a parking
lot makes it very clear that I’m using hearing and vision to determine where things
are.”
Rosenblum is continuing the study with greater levels of background noise and
eventually will test people who are blind in parking lots to determine the level
of risk. In
April he will meet with Stanford University researchers who are developing different
sounds that would enhance the ability of pedestrians to hear approaching hybrid and
electric cars.
“Everyone’s aware of the issue,” he said. However, Rosenblum said, “We are not talking
about major changes to the way automobiles are designed, but about slightly increasing
their audibility when they are traveling slowly. Only a subtle sound enhancement
should
be required.”
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