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Australia strikes sound balance in new electric vehicle rule
Australia is aligning with global standards by implementing a new regulation mandating that electric vehicles produce audible noise when operating at low speeds.
Starting in 2025 under Australian Design Rules (ADR), all new electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel vehicles, including cars, trucks and buses, will need to be fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS).
From November 2026, all car models (not just new models) must adhere to the law to be sold legally within Australia.
The response from the public to this legislation has been mixed. While many appreciate the focus on safety, especially for visually impaired individuals, others are concerned that the law will add more noise to Australia’s roads, just when the introduction of EVs is offering a respite from that.
Read more here: https://www.mynrma.com.au/electric-vehicles/news/avas-new-rule-electric-vehicles
What are your thoughts? Do you think this is a good idea?
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GordonED7
Bronze user
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91 Messages
8 months ago
Our recently purchased LDV eDeliver 7 has AVAS fitted, in fact it has the choice of 3 different sounds!
We've settled on #1, which sounds better than #2.
Both my wife and I independently found that #3 left us hearing that sound after it stopped, and also superimposed on other sounds, for many minutes after listening to it for a couple of minutes driving slowly up our 350m long driveway, so we do not use that one.
If legislators and lobby groups were serious about the safety issue of quiet vehicles in built up areas for vision impaired pedestrians, and not just about imposing regulations on EVs, they would include ICE vehicles as well, as many new models are very quiet at low speeds.
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