Engineering Reasoning: With The Introduction of Totally Electric Cars...?

The potential increase of for injury in accidents with electric vehicles would depend upon how widespread will be their adoption. People are not cautious around those things they don't perceive as dangerous. The electric vehicle is quieter but it is not silent. There is a whirl made by the electric motor there is a sound of the tires moving against the roadway. Picking up these audible clues will be dependent upon how frequently we get the opportunity to do so and how noisy is our surrounding environment. Noisy cars may actually increase the incidence of accidents rather than decrease it. It is a little like the psychology behind the boy who cried "wolf."

There has been some some mention of providing electric vehicles with artificial sounds to protect the blind. But this is based upon the presumption that the blind need help while the deaf do not. No audible signal is of any help to the deaf. If we put flashing lights on a vehicle then it may conflict with what we already do for emergency vehicles. The same precautions could still be observed by installing a transmitter in every vehicle. The blind or the deaf could then have a receiver tuned to give them a signal appropriate to their handicap. Someone blind and deaf might get a vibration signal....

It is too often that we rush to judgment. It is clear that it is not holding a cell phone in your hands that creates a problem while driving yet we have "hands free" cell phone laws. It has been shown that any distraction like a radio, a cell phone, or even a cup of coffee can distract a driver but we consider a coffee less car or a cell phone less car too much of a burden while driving.

Because those who pass laws often wish to appear that they are "doing something" mandatory back up laws and even operating audible signals are likely to be passed in any particular area. But it will be based upon politics and not upon the introductory date for the electric vehicles.

A) 25% - I don't think engine noise is a significant factor in preventing low-speed accidents. Modern autos are very quiet at low speed, that in addition to other distractions faced by modern drivers means that in a dangerous, low speed situation, I don't think a person is very likely to hear another vehicle to avoid it.

B) 10 years of the first sale? There are currently electric cars available, and within the next 3 years there will be many to choose from. I'm going to say 100%, considering TODAY as your date of first sale. I think it has nothing to do with electric vehicles, I think that we will be moving towards all new vehicles being equipped with back-up alarms, and possibly even the back-up cameras currently available on vans and SUV's.