Pedestrian Warning System

[edzee3]

I read that an "engine sound" audio is supposed to be plainly heard in front of the slowly moving car, to warn pedestrians about the oncoming EV.

As a driver, with windows open, I can't hear anything like this when moving the car slowly forward or backward. People standing by car can't hear it either.

Am I missing a switch setting?

 

[JejuSoul]

The warning is a "beep, beep beep" sound and is unmissable.
There is no way to turn this off on my car (2015 model) other than by disconnecting the little speaker under the front right bumper.
To search for more details use the term VESS (virtual engine sound system).

 

[GizmoEV]

My 2016 EV+ (US market) only beeps when in reverse. In both reverse and forward there is a sound I can't describe, sort of like a random growling. The speaker on mine is under the front left fender. I have found some people can't hear it but then their hearing isn't the greatest either.

 

[Ptrs]

I've heard it law that all EV's have these sounds at low speeds in US, is this correct?

 

[GizmoEV]

I've heard it law that all EV's have these sounds at low speeds in US, is this correct?

Not yet, the politicians are still wasting money on getting the law passed. The thing is that some ICEs are just as quiet but they won't have to have the noise maker.

 

[Ptrs]

I've heard it law that all EV's have these sounds at low speeds in US, is this correct?

Not yet, the politicians are still wasting money on getting the law passed. The thing is that some ICEs are just as quiet but they won't have to have the noise maker.

good point. honestly I would not mind at low speed if it made the electric motor "wer' rather than something that sounds like old breakpad on a rusty rotor in my opinion.

I guess I am thankful I do not sound like a forklift or delivery truck backing up.

 

[MacGuffin]

The sound is not loud in our 16, and it is a very odd sort of chime, not your typical back-up beep. It seems pretty worthless to me, it is not loud enough to really alert anybody if there are any other noises in the environment at all and its not the type of sound that really grabs people's attention.

 

[GizmoEV]

How often do you hear an ICE in a noisy parking lot start to back up? I rarely do any more. There is too much ambient noise to hear the more modern ICEs. This is what is so ludicrous about requiring a noise maker for EVs. It doesn't matter if you can't hear it, you most likely can't hear and equivalent ICE in the same situation any way.

 

[edzee3]

The comments on the "engine sound" seem to mixed; some have it , some don't ?

I don't have it when moving slowly forward (1-5 mph).

I tried to find a speaker under either front fender. I can't see any items from below, because of closed areas. I was able to see some of the fender cavity looking down from the motor compartment. Looked like a speaker in the front right fender cavity.

I'll check with the dealer when I take it in to fix the 2 recalls.

 

[Jeff42]

I did some work recently studying how the blind navigate. The blind are able to hear even quiet engine noise and rely on that when crossing streets. The introduction of hybrids led to a potential problem that they couldn't always hear a car approaching at slow speeds. I don't know if any accidents occurred because of this but it was a concern. I recall some blind advocacy organizations campaigned for adding sounds to hybrid and electric cars. This might be the genesis of this feature.

 

[DarthNick]

The comments on the "engine sound" seem to mixed; some have it , some don't ?

I don't have it when moving slowly forward (1-5 mph).

I think the reason some people 'have it' and some people 'don't' is because of the nature of the "engine sound". It is a high-frequency whine, and whether or not someone can hear that whine may depend on a persons age (we lose sensitivity to high frequency noise as we get older). I find it quite irritating myself, and am considering removing it, though based on Jeff's comments, will probably keep it.

I typically hear it when driving at lower speeds when next to a car or a barrier of sorts (so the sounds reflects). This was only when the windows were down.

I can almost always hear the backup noise though. That's very distinct, and I actually like having that.

 

[edzee3]

It's been a long time for any new comments on this item.

I still have a problem with this PWS system: I have NO sound when going forward. When I 'm in a parking lot, slowly driving behind walkers, nobody hears the car (and neither do I).

I saw a posted comment that the PWS sound was "A very fast musical burble, almost sounds like a grinding brake but more pleasant." Is this the sound I should hear ?

When car is stationary and I put the gear in Reverse, I get a reasonably loud reverse-beeping sound. Therefore, I figure I should hear the PWS sound if I put the gear in Drive, even while stationary, But I hear nothing.

I have not talked to KIA Service about this; I have no confidence in my KIA Service.

Any advice welcome.
Ed

 

[notfred]

In drive there is no sound when stationary. It only makes a sound when moving and only up to 20kph, after that there is enough tyre and wind noise that it doesn't bother making the sound.

I think that the same speaker is used for both the forwards burble and the reversing bong, so if it is making one and not the other then you are deep into the electronics to fix.

 

[edzee3]

Thanks for good reply. And I must assume that the PWS Burble is quite audible to the driver with the car windows open, when car is moving , up to 20 km.hr..
I checked the backup beeping ; is coming from the left-front corner, so must share speaker with forward travel PWS sound.

 

[JeroenE]

Thanks for good reply. And I must assume that the PWS Burble is quite audible to the driver with the car windows open, when car is moving , up to 20 km.hr..

You can hear it best with the radio off and windows open and driving slowly. Once you know how it sounds you might hear it even with the window closed. Of course, when you have the radio on it is more difficult to hear.

The best way to test is ask someone else to listen outside of your car or let them drive so you can try to hear it.

I wouldn't say it sounds like a grinding brake. It's a little bit of music. The volume is way lower than the reverse warning sound.

 

[edzee3]

There is a new story out on the subject in the NY Times: " Why Quiet Cars Are Getting Louder", https://nyti.ms/2qGvXoa

So it will be required in the U.S. for all EVs, as of Sep '20.

I will be asking my local KIA service to fix it for me. I have the loud beeping when selecting Reverse gear. The loud beeping comes from a speaker in the left-front corner. No sounds from the back of the car, unlike what I expected for a backup-warning.

Also, I consider the PWS as a safety system, but I don't see it listed in the KIA lists of Safety features.

Ed

 

[JeroenE]

Also, I consider the PWS as a safety system, but I don't see it listed in the KIA lists of Safety features.

I'm not sure what list you're referring to. In my manual the VESS is mentioned in the "green chapter" on page 47.

There is a whole chapter about safety (chapter 3) but this only mentions things for the safety of the driver and passengers like seats, seatbelts, airbags and so on. Other safety features like ABS, ESC, ESS, VSM and so on are mentioned separately in chapter 5. But as far as I can tell there is not really a list of all these systems.

I've got a Dutch manual so your American manual might be completely different.

 

[edzee3]

Re: The advertised "Safety" Systems, I was referring to is the list on the placard pasted on the window; there when I bought the car.
The list had 9 lines with items like airbags and tire pressure monitoring. Certainly not a complete list, and can be arbitrary .

So I took my car back to the dealer and asked them to get the PWS FORWARD sound working. I pointed out that the REVERSE sound was working, from the speaker in the LF corner.
They had the car for 3 hrs. (I had other appts.) and did not fix the PWS. The Tech report was; "signal going to speaker for split second, then stopping. Need to trace all connections".

They said; need the car for a minimum of 1 full day to work on it.

I may live with this problem.

Maybe I'll get a duck horn to use as needed in parking lots ?

Ed

 

[Andreszzo]

Does anyone know how to deactivate this sound. It's high pitch drives me totally crazy. It's too much. I like the second horn from my first gen chevy volt.

I don't mind if people think I'm an ******* for honking at them. This noise bothers me so much I'm thinking Selling the car. Even if I take a loss.