Electric and hybrid vehicles purchased after September 01, 2019 are required to make noise when traveling less than 18.6 MPH. These cars are very quiet and endanger the lives of pedestrians, especially the blind and visually impaired. Congress passed the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act in 2010, and the NHTSA was supposed to have rules in place by January 2014. The delays have put the lives of many blind and visually impaired pedestrians at risk. The full text of the rule can be seen here.
About James Oates
James Oates officially joined the Cool Blind Tech podcast team in the summer of 2014. James is an advocate of accessible technology across all platforms, with an emphasis on Windows. As a former K-12 educator, James brings his passion for teaching to the CBT audience in an effort to help listeners realize their potential and explore new avenues of empowerment through technology. Blind since childhood, James currently lives in Florida.
You can follow him on Twitter, @BLIND_MATRIX