Toyota Prius gets noisier in Japan – US next?
Too quiet for pedestrians?
Blinded by the silence of hybrids
Later this month Toyota will begin offering a $148 under hood speaker system for the Toyota Prius designed to make the Prius sound more like a regular car engine.
To start the new feature will only be offered in Japan, but there is a very good chance the option will soon make its way to the US as well.
According to US government research, hybrid cars are twice as likely as conventional cars to be involved in pedestrian accidents. Consequently, such speaker systems might soon be required for hybrids and EVs sold in the US.
