Those lovable, fuel-savinghybridsmight not be so angelic after all. Turns out hybrids could be . . . too quiet. Perceptual psychologistLawrence D. Rosenblumwarns that hybrid electric vehicles couldthreaten the safety of pedestrianswho can't hear the hybrids approaching. Rosenblum made an impression onScientific AmericanwriterSarah Simpson, who participated in his studies. In one experiment, blindfolded subjects listened to recordings of oncoming vehicles. The subjects could hear an approaching internal-combustion engine from 36 feet away. The hybrid, running in electric mode, wasn't perceived until it was 11 feet away, which would allow a person only seconds to react. Results were more dramatic when background noise was present. While there is no evidence that hybrid cars are involved in more pedestrian accidents than conventional vehicles, Rosenblum advocatesadding noise to hybridsto make them more audible.
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Posted by Sierra Club ..