Nissan's EV Noise is the Scariest Thing You'll Hear This Halloween
Nissan is trying to make its electrified vehicles sound more pleasant.
The Japanese automaker has introduced “Canto,” what it says is the future sound of its electrified vehicles. Derived from Latin for “I sing,” the sound varies in tone and pitch depending on whether the electrified Nissan vehicle accelerating, decelerating, or backing up. Depending on markets, Nissan says the sound is activated at speeds of up to 12 to 19 mph (20 to 30 km/h).
Having audible noises from electrified vehicles isn’t anything new, but it’s a lot more common in other markets such as Japan where pedestrians are plentiful. Since electrified vehicle don’t tend to make a lot of noise, the vehicle itself has to emit some sort of sound to warn pedestrians that a car is approaching.
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Nissan’s Canto was designed with the goal of developing an alert sound as the priority. But it’s also designed to “enrich the aural environment of the typical city street with a distinct Nissan flair,” the Japanese automaker said in a release. “The level of the sound will be clearly audible, without being overly disturbing to pedestrians, residents, and passengers.”
We’re not really sure what Nissan is talking about, because we’re clearly disturbed at the idea of an electric vehicle singing to us while it drives at low speeds.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Hybrid and EV vehicles tend to be quiet, Very quiet at times, that you don't hear it so it startles people when a vehicle 'suddenly appears' near you. Pray you don't get hearing difficulties or become deaf. The sound and light feature would help those people esp. in cities/urban areas.
I think this is a terrific idea!