Team-BHP > Electric Cars


Reply
  Search this Thread
5,000 views
Old 31st January 2023, 17:26   #1
Senior - BHPian
 
RahulNagaraj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 2,063
Thanked: 20,103 Times
BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

While the futuristic hum of an EV isn't as exciting as that of a gas-powered car, the sound from the electric motors is an important safety feature which ensures others around can hear the vehicle coming. According to media reports, some BMWs have stopped making the humming sound, forcing the carmaker to recall the models for being too quiet.

BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent-bmwi4.jpg

As per reports, BMW has recalled almost 3,500 of its electric vehicles due to a faulty external sound generator. The company is said to have recalled the iX SUV and i4 sedan from its current EV model lineup. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,443 units of the iX and 1,988 units of the i4 manufactured between 13th Jan - 21st Dec 2022 have been affected.

The NHTSA states that the control unit on the affected cars may sporadically experience a fault condition, which under certain operating conditions, will not emit the correct warning sounds. Under normal conditions, the sound generator on the EVs should emit a beep or humming noise when the car reverses.

BMW will rectify their EVs by simply updating the software, which will be carried out at authorised dealerships. Owners of affected cars will be notified of the recall by March. Customers can also check the NHTSA app or visit the regulator's website and use the recall search tool using the car's VIN numbers.

Source: Jalopnik

Link to Team-BHP news

Last edited by RahulNagaraj : 31st January 2023 at 17:28.
RahulNagaraj is offline   (15) Thanks
Old 31st January 2023, 20:27   #2
BHPian
 
vigneshkumar31's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Goa
Posts: 753
Thanked: 5,816 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

We are truly entering the next epoch of automobiles.

10 years ago, if someone would have told us that cars would soon become too quiet and that would be a problem, we would have called it crazy.
vigneshkumar31 is offline   (20) Thanks
Old 1st February 2023, 03:19   #3
BHPian
 
Mat095's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Delhi-NCR
Posts: 133
Thanked: 263 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

Imagine the conversation between the first people who found out about this problem:

Person 1: Hey boss, the car is not making any noise.

Boss: What do you mean?

P1: Don’t you think it’s a bit silent

Boss: Yes buddy, it’s an electric!


I figure in the near future, brands are gonna offer fake exhaust sounds as software patches so that people know there is a car nearby.
Mat095 is offline   (7) Thanks
Old 1st February 2023, 10:50   #4
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,733 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

Quote:
Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31 View Post
10 years ago, if someone would have told us that cars would soon become too quiet and that would be a problem, we would have called it crazy.
Very honestly, we only realize the problem when we're on the other side of the fence. Was walking in the area 3 lanes away from my place the other day. Footpath as usual was unusable so I'm walking on the road, but always on the opposite side of the road facing oncoming traffic.

An electric scooter is overtaking a cyclist and came unnervingly close to me. I only realised when he whizzed past! Green numberplate, electric power, no noise at all!

EVs definitely need to make a little noise for safety reasons. And whoever is driving an EV in residential / crowded areas, please be a little cautious.
GTO is offline   (24) Thanks
Old 4th February 2023, 13:54   #5
BHPian
 
DrZhivago's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Trivandrum
Posts: 83
Thanked: 130 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
EVs definitely need to make a little noise for safety reasons. And whoever is driving an EV in residential / crowded areas, please be a little cautious.
I just recently started driving an EV and I must concur. I feel the urge and need to honk at times even though it might seem unnecessary. Cars have the added advantage of having some sort of tyre noise on uneven roads but with electric scooters they are almost stealth. On a good road an EV of any kind is like a cat. God Speed
DrZhivago is offline  
Old 4th February 2023, 14:14   #6
GTB
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: HYD
Posts: 179
Thanked: 293 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

I didn't realise electric car sounds are Fake/additionally generated.
Why don't the makers think of making a nice fake exhaust note, which sounds similar to ICE. I think Abarth just did that with 500e.

Last edited by Chetan_Rao : 4th February 2023 at 15:19. Reason: Duplicate post has been removed as requested. Thanks.
GTB is offline  
Old 5th February 2023, 03:05   #7
BHPian
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Pune
Posts: 247
Thanked: 783 Times
Re: BMW recalls around 3,500 electric vehicles for being too silent

NHTSA had sometime back mandated the need for an audible hmm for all EVs. This was deemed necessary because people with Visual Impairment found it difficult to distinguish a car coming close. And this was atleast 5 years back.
Thats why Tesla has an audible hmm at low speeds.

At high speeds however tyre noise is considered enough to warn anyone around.
frewper is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks