Thursday 7th February 2013

EU to outlaw noisy cars?

New rules to turn the volume down on loud exhausts but make electric cars louder

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Apparently "persistent exposure to high levels of traffic noise can prove physically draining, disrupt organ functions and contribute to cardiovascular and other diseases." That's according to the European Parliament, which has just voted in a draft law to reduce the noise limits for vehicles, in order "to protect public health."

Yep, the EU is meddling again - and although it isn't yet forcing you to return your car to standard, it is shaping up to make heavy with the silencers. The future of the thundering V8 and the screaming V12 gets ever more fraught...

New cars will have their voices muted

Under current legislation, "standard cars" are limited to 74 decibels. The law would see this cut back to 68 decibels. "More powerful" vehicles would be allowed a margin of two to six decibels extra - though we fear the EU had hauling goods in mind with this, not performance.

As part of the proposal, MEPs also want to see a noise label introduced, along the lines of those already enforced for CO2, fuel economy and tyres. It also acknowledges vehicle noise is affected by road surface, tyres and aerodynamics.

So what if you choose to retrofit a noisier aftermarket exhaust system? European Parliament spokesperson Baptiste Chatain told us categorically "aftermarket exhausts are not covered by this legislation." In the first phase - six years after introduction - it will cover newly designed cars and then two years later all new cars sold. Expect an increasing number of carmakers suddenly offering 'dealer fit' exhausts as a result.

The new legislation has also blessed us with a new acronym: AVAS, which stands for Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems. Seems it IS possible for a car to be too quiet - the EU wants hybrid and electric vehicles to make more noise, to stop that game of 'creep up on the pedestrian'.

Let's give them a few ideas, shall we?

 

 

[The Beaver King]

Meh, I'm sure the manufacturers will find a way around it.

As long as this potential legislation doesn't apply to older cars, then I'm not particularly bothered. I can't imagine what the EU would make of my Tiv with 106db at 4,000rpm...