Toyota brings fun to its hybrid cars (PHEV15, 60 MPH EV)

No noise needed thanks!!

 

"Customers may even be able to order 'engine noise.' One of the
complaints about the Prius – from drivers as well as pedestrians and
cyclists – is that it is too quiet. 'We are working on an artificial noise,'
said Matsumuto. A Lamborghini noise? 'No,' he laughs. 'Toyota
noise.'"

There is an opportunity for some real fun here. Why not a library of
downloadable engine noises a al cell phone ring tones... and the ability to
choose one on the fly. You could be a V12 Ferrari, a Mack truck with
compression breaking sounds when in regen, whatever.

Clearly there will have to be speakers to broadcast the sounds, another
opportunity for fun. Do away with the weak, blatting OEM horn. Use
the speakers instead and have another downloadable library of horn
noises; steam whistle, bicycle bell, air horn, barking dog, crying baby,
whatever.

Man, oh man, I can see where this is going; aftermarket 1000 watt rms
external sound systems by Bose, JBL, etc... with selectable overdriven
square wave distortion... bufff, da-buff, da-bufff, bufff, bufff. :nono:

 

Hey, if this is going to be mandatory for Priuses or other hybrids, then it should be mandatory for bicyclists, also. You often can't hear them approaching, either.

Hopefully any such initiative would be quashed by the "anti-noise pollution"lobby.

 

F1 on TV right now. WHat about the howl of an F1 car? Why not a Toyota F1 car?

 

My impression of many new non-hybrid cars is that they are very quiet these days if they have enough damping around the engine compartment. Personally, I listen for tyre noise in addition to looking around.

 

That's just silly to have bicyclist have noise makers. People wouldn't even hear it with their windows rolled up and music playing.

People (drivers, pedestrians and bicyclist) just need to pay more attention to their surroundings.

 

My point exactly. If it would be silly to have a noise maker for a bicycle, it would be equally silly to have it for a car.

 

Useless anoying noise . . . can't we just pre-record our local legislators while they're in session?

 

Hill,

I like this idea, but to fairly represent the typical legislative body there
are a number of appropriate sounds needed:
* A pig wallowing in the mud,
* A bull defecating,
* Fat cats mating,
* Loud flatulence and belching,
* A food fight,
* The Ka-Ching cash register sound,
* Etc, (Add your favorite!)

As I earlier said, a downloadable sound library is in order.

 

Here's my contribution. Unzip the attachments (makes MP3 files) for several minutes of a loud Corvette and an even louder Harley. Cut them to a CD & play them on the car CD player.

Now if I just had external speakers...

 

CDs? That is so 2008!

With the Gen3 Prius you should be able to stream noises directly from your phone to the car wirelessly via Bluetooth!

(You can even stream your wife's voice if you want to really annoy people!)