Hong Kong Government to Mandate Acoustic Vehicle Alert System Installation on All Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Tesla Model S 85D on the street in Hong Kong on Dec. 12, 2022. (Bill Cox/The Epoch Times)

The Hong Kong government has submitted a plan to the Legislative Council to mandate that all-electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid vehicles must have an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS) installed. This follows similar legislation in America, Europe, Japan, China, and the UK.

The authorities believe that electric vehicles are quieter than traditional vehicles while moving, particularly at low speeds, and pedestrians may be unable to hear electric vehicles approaching, which may increase pedestrian accidents.

In 2011, in the early days of electric vehicles, a study by the U.S. Department of Transport showed increased pedestrian accidents involving electric vehicles (EV) compared with internal combustion engined (IC) vehicles, particularly at low speeds. In 2020, a study in Europe found little correlation between vehicle type and pedestrian accidents. Legislation for the fitting of the AVAS system was passed in the EU mainly due to pressure on legislators from The Guide Dogs for the Blind organization and members of other visually impaired groups.

Hong Kong Transport Department figures show pedestrian casualties have declined progressively since 2011, from 3,840 (0.54 percent) to 2,815 (0.38 percent) in 2021. There was a lower blip in 2020 at 2,304 (0.31 percent).

In the Hong Kong government proposal, vehicles fitted with cranes or other lifting devices will also be required to install an AVAS to alert pedestrians of overhead dangers and ensure drivers retract any extendible structure before driving. As electric vehicles are now more developed and in greater demand, the authorities also plan to relax the regulation of which vehicles are allowed to use expressways. So that electric vehicles such as taxis, private minibusses, trucks, and ambulances can travel on the freeways without needing to apply for a permit.

The legislation proposal also includes minimum specifications and performance criteria for electronic rear mirrors, such as image quality, size, and field of view.

Many vehicle manufacturers have already developed VAS systems for their electric and hybrid vehicles, but generally, these are only fitted to meet regulations in particular regions. Some manufacturers, however, have already included AVAS systems on their Hong Kong models; for instance, BMW has an AVAS system fitted on their newly introduced EV models in Hong Kong, operating for speeds up to 35 kilometers per hour (21.8 miles per hour). This specification should meet all such regulations worldwide.

Europe

On July 2, 2019, the European Union stipulated that all-electric and hybrid vehicles with four or more wheels must be equipped with an AVAS, which came into full effect in July 2021. The system is said to prevent electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles from being too quiet and to minimize safety concerns for pedestrians. Despite Brexit, the EU regulation also applies to the UK.

The European Union acoustic vehicle alert system requires the creation of sounds similar in level to a traditional internal combustion engine, from rest to 19 kilometers per hour (approximately 12 miles per hour) to help increase traffic noticeability for pedestrians nearby.

Although electric vehicles and hybrid cars are considered environmentally friendly, without the internal combustion engine and transmission of a traditional gasoline vehicle, electric vehicles can be very quiet on the road. It is said to be more difficult for pedestrians to be aware of the car, increasing the risk of accidents.

The problem is thought to be more severe for people with impaired vision. A study in Europe by the National Library of Medicine conducted a questionnaire study that did not show a firm conclusion to an increased safety risk for the average person.

United Kingdom

In November 2017, a British charity organization for the visually impaired, The Guide Dogs for the Blind, submitted studies to Parliament that electric vehicles are more likely to cause collision and pedestrian harm than conventional ones, suggesting legislation would be helpful to road safety.

The British AVAS regulation, similar to that of the European Union, came into effect in 2021. It stipulates that when an electric vehicle goes less than 12 miles per hour (approximately 19 kilometers per hour), the car must be able to produce audible warnings similar to sounds made by a gasoline vehicle as an alert to pedestrians.

United States

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) introduced legislation in 2019 requiring all new electric vehicles to install AVAS systems fully compliant by September 2020. The difference is the NHTSA requires drivers to produce sounds below 18.6 miles per hour, (30 kilometers per hour), instead of 12 miles per hour (approximately 19 kilometers per hour) in the UK and Europe.

Each electric vehicle manufacturer can determine the type of sound emitted by its vehicles’ acoustic vehicle alert system as long as the sound level is similar to that of conventional internal combustion-engined vehicles. Some online comments and studies make the point that electric vehicles were mainly introduced to improve the environment, so adding noise is adding noise pollution. Other comments question whether the sound level may become another debating point later. Other factors include the increased weight of electric vehicles and the effect of this on accident severity and post-accident safety considerations.