A new Albanian government regulation requires electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to be louder to reduce pedestrian fatalities.
The new Australian Design Rule (ADR) requires all new electric, hybrid and hydrogen cars, trucks and buses released after November 1, 2025 to be equipped with an Audible Vehicle Alert System (AVAS).
It is required for all vehicles of this type for sale in Australia from November 1, 2026.
It is already common for these vehicles for an AVAS to make noise when driving at low speeds, making it harder for a pedestrian to miss it when, for example, it is driving through a parking lot.
However, the Australian government states that a vehicle equipped with an AVAS will be no louder than a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
It says the new ADR is expected to help prevent approximately 68 deaths, 2675 serious injuries and 2962 minor injuries by 2060 and is estimated to save the Australian community $208 million.
The proposed rule comes after the government consulted a draft impact assessment proposing such a mandate, which was supported by state and territory governments, the blind community and car manufacturers.
ADR 113/00 – Acoustic vehicle warning systems for quiet road transport vehicles require an AVAS system to be operational at speeds of up to 20 km/h, with a pause function not permitted.
The maximum sound level must not exceed 75 dBA when driving forward; The unit of measurement dBA refers to the relative loudness of sounds as perceived by the human ear.
According to Yale University, the noise level of a normal conversation is around 60-70 dBA, while the noise level of a vacuum cleaner is 75 dBA.
“As more Australians choose to drive electric vehicles, we are committed to ensuring they are safe for both the driver and other road users,” said Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
“This is a significant win for the blind and visually impaired community, who have long advocated for the introduction of such warning systems in Australia.”
The announcement was celebrated by Vision Australia, a non-profit organization that supports people with blindness and visual impairment.
“Vision Australia has been calling for the introduction of AVAS in Australia since 2018,” said Chris Edwards, government relations and advocacy manager at Vision Australia.
“We are thrilled and commend the current federal government for listening to our concerns and acting on this very important matter, allowing blind or visually impaired pedestrians to move more safely in public spaces.”
“All pedestrians should have the right to feel safe and confident when navigating public spaces, and today’s announcement is an important step in protecting this for people who are blind or have low vision.” There is no doubt that this is an announcement is that will save lives.”
The United Nations has already adopted a regulation on the audibility of “quiet road transport vehicles,” while the United States and the European Union have also adopted regulations requiring minimum noise requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles.