Pedestrians should soon be safer around quiet cars, trucks and buses travelling at low speeds with the Albanese Government introducing a new design rule to make electric vehicles safer from November 2025.
The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) is a safety alert or sound, emitted when an EV is travelling at low speeds (under about 30kmh) in car parks, intersections, and driveways.
Quiet vehicles such as electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles travelling at low speeds are harder for pedestrians to hear compared to noisier vehicles with conventional petrol or diesel engines, says a joint government release which includes transport minister Cathrine King.
“This increases the risk of being involved in a collision, and this risk is greater for people who are blind or have poor vision who rely on sound to negotiate the road network independently,” says the joint statement.
“The new Australian Design Rule (ADR) will require new electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell cars, trucks and buses to be fitted with an AVAS from November 2025.
“AVAS will make these vehicles easier to hear by emitting a sound when the vehicle is travelling at low speeds in car parks, intersections and driveways,” says the statement, adding that an AVAS vehicle won’t be any noisier than a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
The Government consulted on a draft impact analysis proposing a mandate for AVAS for light vehicles and it was strongly supported by state and territory governments, the blind and low-vision community, and vehicle manufacturers, it says.
“The new ADR is expected to avoid around 68 fatalities, 2675 serious injuries and 2962 minor injuries by 2060 and is estimated it will save the Australian community $208 million.”
King says: “As more and more Australians choose to drive EVs we are committed to ensuring that they are safe for both driver and others using the road.
“This is a significant win for those the blind and low-vision community who have long been advocating for alert systems like this to be introduced in Australia.”
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