Pre-1 Writing Sample 1 - Takeshi |
(1) Quiet Cars
Although noise from car engines is usually considered a nuisance, hybrid cars may be too quiet. Research shows that pedestrians and cyclists often do not hear a hybrid car until it is dangerously close, especially when the car is running in electric mode at lower speeds.
Automobile manufacturer Lotus Engineering believes it has found a solution to the problem. It has produced a sound generator that recreates the sound of a gas-driven engine. When fitted to a hybrid car, the sound generator turns on if the car is in electric mode. To limit noise pollution, the system adjusts the sound it produces based on surrounding noise. It switches off automatically when the car makes enough sound by itself.
A further benefit is that the sound generator produces noise only where pedestrians and cyclists need to hear it, directly in front of and behind the car.
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Hybride cars may be so quiet in electric mode that people in the traffic may not hear them coming dangerously close to them. The solution to the problem is to install a sound generator which produces the sound of a driving car. This sound generator adjusts the volume automatically and turns on only when people need to hear it.
[No.2035] 2024/04/30(Tue) 11:58:20 |