Hybrid cars forced to create noise pollution?

Hi there, this is Maki again.
This is a small update on my last post about hybrid cars.
Remember what I said about the hybrid Toyota Harrier being so silent that it might be a potential health hazard to pedestrians? Well, I’ve just read this article on BBC News, and it looks like Toyota may have to consider adding noise to their hybrid vehicles, because blind pedestrians (who rely on sound for guidance) cannot hear the cars coming and might be hit.

According to what they say,

The panel is considering forcing manufacturers of hybrid cars to introduce a sound-making function that alerts passersby to the presence of a vehicle.

Click here to read the BBC News article.

What kind of noise are they going to add to the new Prius, I wonder? I suggest either ice cream truck music or the engine noise of a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 firing up… that should be enough to alert any passers-by, blind or not.