Study of the Acoustic Perceptibility of Vehicles Moving at a Constant Speed

Abstract—The article presents the results of an experiment on assessing subjective indicators of acoustic perceptibility by pedestrians (experts) of a vehicle approaching at a constant speed and some conclusions. Subjective indicators of perceptibility were defined as the distance between the vehicle and the expert, at the moment when the expert heard (recorded) the sound of an approaching car, as well as the time of the car’s approach to the expert at that moment. Subjective indicators of perceptibility are compared with the objective parameters of car noise measured in accordance with UN Regulation no. 138: the sound pressure level, its frequency response, and the sound level. The study is motivated by the problem of traffic safety of electrified vehicles with low noise, which include, in particular, electric cars and electric scooters. The article publishes the first results of a research paper devoted to increasing the perceptibility of low-noise vehicles for pedestrians without damaging the acoustic ecology of cities and suburbs.