## Regarding Measures Connected to the Quietness of Hybrid Vehicles, etc

The number of registered hybrid cars and electric vehicles has been increasing in recent years and they are expected to increase even further in the future. In the meantime, since feedback was received from car users and organizations for people with impaired vision etc. that these cars "feel dangerous when they don't emit sound", experts were gathered from various areas such as academics, organizations for people with impaired vision, organizations for manufacturers etc. from July 2009 and held a committee meeting where discussion was advanced for measures relating to the quietness of hybrid cars. The committee grasped the accident situations, the number of vehicles owned, overseas conditions, the condition of discussions so far and the committee also held a trial meeting that used hybrid cars and electric vehicles, and it was confirmed that it was possible to barely notice or not notice at all when approaching to these vehicles. In relation to this confirmation, various discussions were advanced including the viewpoints that countermeasures were not necessary if drivers exercised caution, and that countermeasures should be used based on new technology other than sound emission.

Transition of the Number of Promoted Hybrid Cars

A Photo of People Experiencing the Hybrid Car in Use

As a result, the committee summarized the "(Report) Measures Regarding Countermeasures Relating to the Quietness of Hybrid Vehicles etc." in January 2010, and while it was important that drivers exert the utmost caution and drive without making pedestrians feeling danger, this by itself was not enough to be able to correspond to the unpredictable actions of pedestrians. While the superior quiet performance of hybrid cars was taken advantage of, in order for pedestrians including visually impaired people to be able to precisely grasp their positional location to the car, it was requested that sound emitting devices that fulfilled certain requirements be equipped in hybrid vehicles etc.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism received this request, and in addition to deciding the "Guidelines for Measures Relating to the Quietness of Hybrid Cars", officials from vehicle manufacturers were informed, and early dissemination of the measures was urged.

Applicable Range:	Electric Vehicle-capable hybrid car, electric vehicle, etc.
Measure for Setting:	Speed range from 0km/h to 20km/h, reversing
Sound Type:	Sound evoked when traveling, changes noise depending on speed
Volume:	Same extent as normal engine
Method of Emitting Sound:	Automatic regular sound emitting system. Turning off sound emitting temporary (However, returning from turning off, injector lamp are necessary)

Outline of Quietness Countermeasures Guideline

Hence, it is taken up as a goal to internationalize the things related to low sound hybrid cars etc which are expected to disseminate across the world in the future: for example based on the validation results of the technological and social acceptability of cars that fulfill the guidelines, standardization are taken into consideration. In the “World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UN/ECE/WP29)”, a UN conference that carries out international harmonization activities for safety and environmental standards of cars, Japan proposed the contents of the measures.