Electric cars have been branded as “silent but deadly” as the EU government have announced that all electric cars will have to be fitted with artificial sound generators to keep pedestrians safe. In particular those pedestrians that are blind or partially sighted.

It has also been agreed that all conventional cars and lorries with both petrol and diesel engines are to make 25% less noise.

Following the vote manufacturers in the EU will have five years to comply with the new rules.

The European Parliament reported that ‘it is important to provide protection to blind and other vulnerable people through the installation of appropriate vehicle alerting systems in electric vehicles.’

 ‘The acoustic warning devices will make a sound very similar to that of cars with a regular combustion engine so that people will be able to clearly hear these vehicles, allowing them to judge how safe a road is to cross.

‘Installing sound generators will ensure that all pedestrians are able to hear these vehicles and cross the road safely.

‘By working at an EU level we have been able to place this requirement on all car manufacturers and prevent needless accidents in future.’

The introduction of artificial engine noise to silent electric cars came as the European Parliament voted to decrease noise by four decibels for conventional passenger cars, vans, buses and coaches, and by three decibels for trucks.

The European Commission said: 'Altogether, these measures will reduce vehicle noise nuisance by some 25 per cent.'

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