Clarity Low Speed 'Music'?
- Thread starter Ken7
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PHEV Newbie
Well-Known Member
It doesn't bother me much and it seems to work as intended. It often gets heads turning when I'm driving around a parking lot.
Ray B
Active Member
I think this issue falls into the category of melodious tootling: https://www.hondashadow.net/forum/53-general-bike-discussion/73713-tootle-horn-melodiously.html
Demian Johnston
Member
Think it’s in the box attached to the 12V battery referenced on of 128 of the owners manual?
The pedestrian warning noise doesn't bother me one bit. I think it makes the car sound futuristic!
Also I think it's dangerous and could possibly make you liable if you hack it off and hit someone. There's a very good reason for it; these cars are super quiet at low speed and pose a serious hazard to pedestrians without a warning system like this.
Also I think it's dangerous and could possibly make you liable if you hack it off and hit someone. There's a very good reason for it; these cars are super quiet at low speed and pose a serious hazard to pedestrians without a warning system like this.
weave
Active Member
I dropped some friends off in front of a movie theater last night while a bunch of teenagers were hanging out in front. One of the teenagers asked if was an electric car, a girl apparently said she knew it was by the sound it made, and they all seemed to think it was really cool.
Whodathunk this old guy would do something hip again!
Whodathunk this old guy would do something hip again!
Johnhaydev
Active Member
I like the sound: I makes me think the car is something from a science fiction movie. However, one of my friends hates the sound. so, reasonable people can differ.
Yesterday at the National Drive Electric Week event in Ann Arbor, I was surprised many times when one of the Teslas was leaving the event early and came up silently behind me sitting in my folding chair next to my Clarity. Yes, all of the 30-odd Claritys left before the event was over. I came early (does 2 minutes early count?) and got a good spot, so all the cars drove by me at the end of the front row as they left.
In the poster board I put together to display at the event, the last item in my 12-step program for driving a Clarity was this:
12. Under 12 mph, hearken to the sound of angels singing to save pedestrians
Could it be that those dangerous Teslas were cutting close to me and my Clarity just to intimidate me after they read this? Naw, all the Tesla driver I spoke with--like all the electric drivers at the event--were very nice people. I didn't hear the Bolts coming up behind me, either.
In the poster board I put together to display at the event, the last item in my 12-step program for driving a Clarity was this:
12. Under 12 mph, hearken to the sound of angels singing to save pedestrians
Could it be that those dangerous Teslas were cutting close to me and my Clarity just to intimidate me after they read this? Naw, all the Tesla driver I spoke with--like all the electric drivers at the event--were very nice people. I didn't hear the Bolts coming up behind me, either.
Jason Brooks
New Member
Anyone figure it out yet?
ashmtl
Member
There is nothing cool in that stupid noise people call music. It is too loud and annoying even with closed windows. I can't drive with open windows anymore because that noise is getting to my nerves. This system was a cheap shortcut to satisfy few people. It is not thought through well and absolutely useless. On one side we get penalized for loud muffler and on the other we get noise added to silent vehicles. Does this sound normal to you?!
The regulation says it should sound an audible alert at speeds up to 18 mph, but my 2020 Clarity screams even at 30 mph. If we need that noise so badly why do not put an engine sound? One will say that having an EV sound like a Camaro is weird. Yes, but making an EV to make a constant noise is also weird. It is 30 years I am in Canada and saw a blind pedestrian 3 times only. I accept that we should somehow alert the pedestrians about approaching vehicle (and not only the blind ones), but not at the expense of the EV owners comfort. If this problem will not be solved in very near future, I will sell my Clarity, because the noise emitted by it is becoming unbearable.
The only solution I can think of is the dynamic warning system, that will start emitting pulsing or other sounds when a pedestrian is detected nearby. It will be more effective for pedestrian warning and less intrusive for the driver. Our cars are packed with all kind of gadgets including animal crossing, lane keeping and collision avoidance systems. What it will take to have the alert by demand, where the demand is the presence of the pedestrian? The EVs already have front, rear and side cameras, front radar and bumper sensors. Give a teenager a task to create the software utilizing all that hardware and they will deliver a software solution in a week.
The regulation says it should sound an audible alert at speeds up to 18 mph, but my 2020 Clarity screams even at 30 mph. If we need that noise so badly why do not put an engine sound? One will say that having an EV sound like a Camaro is weird. Yes, but making an EV to make a constant noise is also weird. It is 30 years I am in Canada and saw a blind pedestrian 3 times only. I accept that we should somehow alert the pedestrians about approaching vehicle (and not only the blind ones), but not at the expense of the EV owners comfort. If this problem will not be solved in very near future, I will sell my Clarity, because the noise emitted by it is becoming unbearable.
The only solution I can think of is the dynamic warning system, that will start emitting pulsing or other sounds when a pedestrian is detected nearby. It will be more effective for pedestrian warning and less intrusive for the driver. Our cars are packed with all kind of gadgets including animal crossing, lane keeping and collision avoidance systems. What it will take to have the alert by demand, where the demand is the presence of the pedestrian? The EVs already have front, rear and side cameras, front radar and bumper sensors. Give a teenager a task to create the software utilizing all that hardware and they will deliver a software solution in a week.
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Kerbe
Well-Known Member
According to Honda, the AVAS cuts-out at 12mph (20kph). If yours is still sounding at 30mph, something is very wrong!
Honda changed the AVAS for the 2020 Clarity. Wikipedia agrees with @ashmtl; NHTSA set the cut-off at 18.6 mph:
> The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued
> its final ruling in February 2018, and requires the device to emit
> warning sounds at speeds less than 18.6 mph (30 km/h) with
> compliance by September 2020...
If @ashmtl hears the sound at 30 mph rather than 30 km/h, there is definitely something wrong.
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craze1cars
Well-Known Member
It’s been mentioned that according to manual Canadian versions have shut off switch for the sound on the dash? Is this not true?
Not anymore, starting 2020 no switch.
I wonder if any other Canadian Clarity owners also hear the AVAS sound up to 50 km/h? I tried to find out if Transport Canada specified a higher speed for the cut-off of the pedestrian warning noise. From this paragraph in their Planned Road-Safety Initiatives, it appears Canada is aligning with the U.S., so the cut-off should be 30 km/h, not 50.
Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)
It was proposed that the Canadian safety regulations may be amended to introduce Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard CMVSS 141, Minimum Noise Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, to align with requirements in Europe and the United States Manufacturers would be given the choice of complying with requirements of either the United States or United Nations regulation for the vehicles specified in the scope of CMVSS 141.
The Verge had an article that discussed allowing owners to choose their own sounds.
Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)
It was proposed that the Canadian safety regulations may be amended to introduce Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard CMVSS 141, Minimum Noise Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, to align with requirements in Europe and the United States Manufacturers would be given the choice of complying with requirements of either the United States or United Nations regulation for the vehicles specified in the scope of CMVSS 141.
The Verge had an article that discussed allowing owners to choose their own sounds.