I hope you can turn these noises off. I'd rather have a silent vehicle.

This is precisely why many motorcyclists have loud motorcycles. So, those driving cars or trucks can hear them. Drivers unaware of a motorcycle next to them will often cut the motorcyclists off becacause they don't hear them and realize they are there. When your bike is loud, people hear you and therefore aren't as likely to cut you off, or turn left in front of you (which is the cause of many motorcyclist deaths). So, having a loud motorcycle does more than just attract attention to the rider, it makes the automobile driver more aware of the motorcycle rider, therefore providing some level of safety to the motorcyclist. A loud motorcycle may still not be seen, but at least those driving nearby will hear it.

...generate fake engine noise inside the car through the vehicle's in-car entertainment system, in order to make it sound more like a regular vehicle when accelerating.

I can't find a reference, but this reminds me of a (1950's?) science fiction short story about a future where the majority of humans are stupid, primarily because the smart people had reduced their birth rate to save the Earth. The remaining smart people time-traveled to the past and brought back a used-car salesman. He convinced the stupid people to get on a spaceship for a new, amazing world, the idea being that the ship would then be crashed into the sun. At the end of the story, the smart people made the salesman get on the ship just before it was launched.

When the salesman first arrives in the future, he's bundled into a car. When the car starts moving it sounds like it's going really fast, but he can see that it's actually moving slowly. The smart people have dumbed-down travel to prevent the stupid people from hurting themselves (and, more importantly, the remaining smart folk).

(Sounds a bit like the Golgafrinchans in H2G2!)

This is the most stupid thing ever, If there is so much concern What about deaf people who have never been able to hear cars we have had for the last 115 years.
What about everyone's safety around bicycles?

This smacks of the red flag act back when motoring began where a man with a red flag had to walk at the front of those new fangled automobiles keeping their speed at a walking pace to protect all and sundry.
Any way it shows the same lack of inteligence.We finally get near silent cars and some fool wants to add noise ie the sound of an ICE, its unbelievable.Lotus can take a flying jump and it doesn't take a lot of brains to realize why Harman would indorse it..money.
I'm glad the motorcycle brigade as voiced above feel safe by making noise...what about when they bomb down the road listening to and disturbing the whole neighborhood with their exhaust and some driver pulls out infront of them which is where most accidents happen with bikes.The only thing they hear then is the cracking of their own skeleton.
If pedestrians are concerned about being hit by an electric I suggest they remain on the sidewalk and look out for cars when crossing the road and likewise Electric drivers stay off the sidewalk and remain alert for pedestrians in parking lots etc.
Plain and simple be responsible for your own actions and safety and quit trying to pass the buck or seek easy ways to become rich through lawsuits.

This looks like a way to milk a little more money from the psople who buy overpriced, government subsidized hybrids. When driving at city speeds, the only time a pedestrian is going to hear my 2009 Lincoln is when it hits them.

Well I have a Toyota Camry 2008 Hybrid car and I think that it is ok to be quiet, But yes you got to watch when you are around shopping centers, as people may not hear you comming close to them.

And all this time I thought that that is what horns were for! Oh,wait! Some years back the brain trust got the idea that horns were too loud also, so the mfr's. started installing sick little horns that weren't even as loud as a bicycle horn to appease the crybabies and their sensitive ears. How about we just tie pillows to our bumpers so we can just punt the (stupid) jaywalkers back to the sidewalk.

Analysis of the USA Fatality Accident Reporting System accidents 2002-2006 revealed the Prius has the same pedestrian accident rate as ordinary cars. Prius quiet has no safety impact. By focusing on noise generators, effective systems are being ignored such as pedestrian radar and IR detectors. H.R. 734, we call the "Bell the Hybrid Act," puts into law the same "sound" based approach that kills 4,700 pedestrians every year including 5 blind. This is not science, empirical data driven legislation but pandering that ensures the last thing a pedestrian hears will be these faux noise makers.

I think we in the U.S.of A. that are of automobile
buying age are getting as ignorant as all of those
trying to tell us what we need. I have been driving
cars, trucks, motorcycles,tractors, ATV and you
name it, and never have I been at the stage where I
could not drive with or without the sounds emitting
from the vehicle. All I had to do was look for and
be cautious of anyone walking near or upon the roadway, which is the same way it will be forever and ever. Forget putting the sounds in there or let
us refuse to purchase ANY vehicle that uses the option as stated above.

I think we in the U.S.of A. that are of automobile
buying age are getting as ignorant as all of those
trying to tell us what we need. I have been driving
cars, trucks, motorcycles,tractors, ATV and you
name it, and never have I been at the stage where I
could not drive with or without the sounds emitting
from the vehicle. All I had to do was look for and
be cautious of anyone walking near or upon the roadway, which is the same way it will be forever and ever. Forget putting the sounds in there or let
us refuse to purchase ANY vehicle that uses the option as stated above.

What do we have to do here? Start a "new" education revolution that says to look both ways before crossing the street. I have a faint memory of learning that about 60 years ago. Common sense people, not over regulation or pressure to protect every living species on Earth...........

It is obvious that most people don't realize what it is like to be vision impared. To say to someone "stay on the sidewalk" is moronic. Being vision impared distorts your depth perception. Therefore creating it difficult to know where sound is coming from. This is not about looking in both directions before you cross the street. This is for the safety of those who are vision impared. Think outside your tiny box and quit being self centered. And pray that you never have to rely on sound alone to get around.

I have a much simpler solution.

Connect your Ipod to the car's sound system and roll your window down a bit.

With all the money you save, you can buy a thousand employees at your stupid company a V8 and even afford to buy a spokesperson to smack them on the head when he delivers it!

Matt @ 11:04 is right, what has been driving this idea is the recognition that EV's may not provide sufficient sound for blind pedestrians, not some lame "pimp my ride' scenario. It is reminiscent of the "cards in spokes" and I personally prefer something that would be vehicle-to-walking stick communication via Blue Tooth or similar. Of course this is one more thing our government will over-regulate on an already burdened auto industry, driven by sensationalism versus the facts as Bob @ 12:05 points out.

Simply asinine!

The regulators and politically correct leaders are failing to address the root problem. People have less and less common courtesy for eachother. They are too busy and late for work, or have their I-pods blasting in their ears while driving. The hearing impared and sight impared have a raw deal for sure, but forcing everyone to make their cars louder is ridiculus. Those with handicaps already train to overcome the challenges they encounter. Its their responsibility to do so. I as a driver must be cautious and give pedestrians the right of way, even if it will make me a little late. Harman should be ashamed for such an effort. Speakers to make cars louder? Then add noise cancellation to eliminate road noise???? Idiotic. It forces the new car buyer to purchase the related electronics at over inflated prices, so a sleezy car salesman can make his commission check explode. How will the hearing impared benefit? I know, lets pump vibrations through the tires so deaf pedestrians can feel when a car is near, but add active vibration control on the suspension so that the driver has a smoooooth ride, like driving on marshmellows... Stupidity.

Perhaps one of the main drawbacks is how quiet an electric car is, I've driven one before and you can really sneak up on some pedestrian. Although, its common sense to keep a look out, people are not used to cars being so quiet.

I think its great! I wish I had thought of it. Any way to make money and get out of this stupid job works for me.