Abstract
Electric vehicles (EVs) are a promising automotive technology designed to reduce air pollution, decrease maintenance costs, reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduce noise emissions. Sounds good, but like any new technology, safety issues associated with that technology must be identified and controlled. For example, EVs produce little noise, a fact often touted as an advantage of such vehicles. However, this lack of noise could actually be a hazard if pedestrians cannot hear a vehicle approaching. (Author/publisher)