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<p>The Department for Transport commissioned research to assess the perceived safety
risk from quiet electric vehicles to vision-impaired pedestrians in 2011. This research
indicated that electric vehicles had sound levels similar to vehicles propelled by
combustion engines above speeds of approximately 12 miles per hour but could be more
difficult to detect at lower speeds.</p><p> </p><p>Vehicle approval requirements were
therefore introduced to mandate sound generators, known as Acoustic Vehicle Alerting
Systems (AVAS), on new types of quiet electric and hybrid vehicles. AVAS has been
required for new vehicles registered from 1 July 2021. The requirements ensure that
vehicles that can be operated on electric power only will always produce a specified
level of noise below 12 miles per hour and during reversing.</p>
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