It's designed primarily for blind pedestrians so they can hear the car coming. It makes sense for the speakers to be in the front of the car because you don't really need to hear the car once it's pulling away and it just needs to be loud enough, directional, and speed sensitive so that a blind person can get an idea of where a car is coming from and at what speed. For that purpose, it's very well designed indeed.
What about a blind person walking on the sidewalk when you decide to backup from the driveway? Seems like they should have both front and back speakers and enable the appropriate ones depending on whether the car is going forward or backward.
It's the "R" button. Put the Clarity in reverse and the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System operates in that direction.
There is no "setting" for the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System. It always works in forward or reverse unless you have a Canadian Clarity and you push the button that turns it off until you turn it on again or shut off the car.
I guess I was confused by the Gadgeteer suggesting: "There is a setting to activate while reversing too." I spent some time poking through menus yesterday and couldn't find it.
LOL someone who actually teaches blind people how to navigate the streets will need to chime in, as I cannot see how making a sound that doesn't sound like a car to let blind people know a car is coming as "very well designed" Most (both blind and seeing) people barely know about Clarity, and I just can't see people learning about how it specifically sounds like. We need a button here
My friend, who owns a gas station, said an electric car pulled up when he was between 2 pumps and it scared him because he didn't hear it pull up. I think the sound would be useful at places like toll booths where you drive through slow and workers may not be expected when they walk across. However, when I drive slowly in a parking lot full of cars, looking for a place to park, and I pass people walking to their cars, they don't seem to notice my car's sound. I think it is only noticeable when you are echoing in a garage, or really paying attention.
Well, better get used to it. All electric and hybrid vehicles with a gross before with under 10,000 pounds will be required to remote a warning sounds beginning on September 1, 2020. Interestingly, the final rule calls for them to emit a noise when going forward (up to 30 km/hr), backing up, and when stationary but not in park. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/02/26/2018-03721/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standard-no-141-minimum-sound-requirements-for-hybrid-and-electric
Mine will be set to C+C Music Factory.... Ev'rybody dance now! Ev'rybody dance now! Give me the music.