per Engadget.

Proposed bill aims to set minimum auto sound levels

by Donald Melanson, posted Apr 10th 2008 at 1:44PM
Fisker Karma's recently announced hybrid sports car that generates motor noise through some external speakers might have received a good bit of derision when it first made itself known, but it now looks like it may actually be a bit ahead of the game, at least if a bill expected to be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives ever actually becomes law. As AutoWeek reports, the bill was apparently prompted by concerns that hybrid and electric vehicles are a little too quiet, and pose a risk to pedestrians, especially the blind. To address that supposed danger, the bill reportedly demands that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation initiate a study to determine if a minimum sound level is in fact needed and, if so, require that automakers comply with it (possibly as early as 2010).

more at Auto Week

I read an article about that a long time ago. I had never given thought to threat to blind people and children these cars pose.

Luckily, deaf folks have spider-sense (or some shit), their perspective, uncanny. They are used to dodging silent cars.

I think they should be required to make the same noise the vehicles made on The Jetsons.

Man flying cars would be so BA.