While the goal of most manufacturers is to reduce NVH levels as far as possible, one group is concerned about the run-silent-run-deep modus operandi of hybrid vehicles: the blind. Dependent on the sound of a revving engine to know whether the coast is clear at an intersection, sightless folks are worried about hybrids in electric mode sneaking up on 'em as they attempt to cross the street. At least one school for the blind in Arkansas has been loaned Toyota hybrids by a local dealer so their students can learn the telltale sound of silence.
Hybrid Cars Pose Problem for Visually Impaired [KATV]
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