BMW to make electric cars 'produce sound' similar to petrol and diesel engines amid safety concerns

The technology utilises 43 sound signals to make otherwise silent electric vehicles more visible on roads in a bid to crack down on safety concerns.

This sound spectrum has been specifically developed to adapt precisely to different driving situations, with the system allowing drivers to mirror similar noises as petrol and diesel engines.

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BMW's Vision Neue Klasse saloon and Vision Neue Klasse X SUV models are scheduled to go on sale later this year with the newly fitted sound technology.

Prices for the new vehicles have been estimated to start at around £65,000, positioning them in the premium electric vehicle range.

Renzo Vitale, the creative director of sound design at the BMW Group, said: "The unique sound spectrum of HypersonX plays a major role in giving a Neue Klasse model its own, highly distinctive character acoustically.

"Through our focus on precision, warmth and lightness, we can create a direct emotional connection between the driver and their vehicle."

The HypersonX system represents BMW's approach to help make EVs more enjoyable on the road as well as encourage more drivers to make the switch away from petrol and diesel cars.

The technology creates acoustic sounds that resemble a sportier driving experience, addressing one of the common criticisms of electric vehicles that their lack of engine noise can make them dangerous to pedestrians on the road.

In July 2021, the UK law changed to make it mandatory for all newly registered electric vehicles to make a noise while travelling at speeds below 12.4mph.

The Department for Transport had previously explained that it is a legal requirement for new electric vehicles to "produce sound when travelling at low speeds, and when travelling faster they already produce similar noise levels to petrol and diesel cars".

Last year, a study revealed that the quiet component of electric vehicles makes them twice as likely to hit a pedestrian compared to petrol and diesel cars.

Phil Edwards, Professor of Epidemiology and Statistics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and lead author of the paper, said: "Electric cars are almost certainly better for our health, but our research shows that more needs to be done to reduce the risk they pose to pedestrians, particularly in noisy urban environments.

"With electric cars replacing petrol and diesel cars on Britain’s roads, we should consider if similar public information campaigns, or new technologies such as autonomous emergency braking, are needed to improve pedestrian safety around electric cars."

The research warned that electric cars pose a higher risk to pedestrians due to them being quieter than petrol or diesel cars, which results in pedestrians not hearing them in time to react and avoid a collision.

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When the models become available to drivers, BMW noted how the saloon model aims to compete directly with established rivals such as the Mercedes EQE. Meanwhile, the SUV variant will challenge the popular Tesla Model Y in the increasingly competitive electric crossover market.

These new models represent the first application of the HypersonX technology, which BMW hopes will help differentiate its electric vehicles in the growing marketplace.