The Sound of Silence: The Fisker Karma, will warn pedestrians by emitting a noise “akin to a jet fighter.”
A great debate. To noise, or not to noise?
Is it really needed? After so many years of hearing about noise pollution, we now have a solution and are being asked to add sound to it. The Fisker Karma has been design to specifically address this issue. There are a set of speakers in the rear bumper where you would typically expect to see tail pipes. The HYBRID HZ label literally means: Hybrid Sound. Not many details have been given about this feature. Right now the sound is said to have been set to that of a jet fighter. Of course this could easily change in the future.
An interactive debate has started over at Newsrag. The comments start out with talking about “looking both ways before you cross the road.” That should be enough for anyone to know a car is coming. The response to that is a case where fog is an issue. Really, fog that’s the main issue? No one has address the issue of the blind. That one can get into a little more philosophical debate. Cars make sound so you can identify them with your sense of hearing. If cars had always been silent would sounds have been added already? Just because it can be done, that doesn’t mean it should. Of course, just because it has always been that way doesn’t mean it’s right either.
What would you like your Karma to sound like? Would you like to have the option for the sound to be customized? How about an option to turn the sound off?
[Source: Popular Science Image: Sport Cars]