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GUIONES DE AUDIOS

Activity book. Track 24. Page 60. Activities 1and 2. Electric Cars Get Creative Sounds to Replace Engine Noise.

The world's top automakers are increasingly offering more electric vehicle models. This growth is expected to continue, with more people choosing to hit the road with cleanrunning electric-powered cars.

But electric vehicles are also known for not producing another kind of pollution – noise. They run on batteries instead of fuel, and can operate in silence.

While many people might consider this a good thing, quiet cars can also cause problems. The main danger is that people walking in areas around electric vehicles face a greater risk of being hit if they cannot hear the cars coming.

Governments in the United States and Europe have recognized this problem. So, they have set requirements for manufacturers to add warning sounds to vehicles operating on electricity.

Of course, one of the easiest solutions would be for carmakers to simply reproduce the sound a car would make if it actually did run on fuel.

Frank Welsch is head of technical development at Germany's Volkswagen and said that finding the perfect sound mix is not an easy process.

"The electric vehicle sound is its identity," he said. "It cannot be too intrusive or annoying. It has to be futuristic and it cannot sound like anything we had in the past."

Welsch said Volkswagen's electric cars will have special speakers designed to get attention. The company is developing different sounds to correctly fit the size, make and overall image of each model, he added.

An official from German competitor Mercedes-Benz said the company had developed a noise for its new EQC model.

Nissan created in 201 7 in an attempt to make one of its future electric models "sing."

Mercedes-AMG offers its buyers high-performance vehicles that combine modern design with speed and power.The head of Mercedes-AMG, Tobias Moers said AMG is currently working with the American rock band Linkin Park to find exactly the right artificial sound.

A representative from BMW Group said the sound is being developed for one of its vehicles, a new electric Mini.Esther Bahne, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at BMW's Mini, said sound is something that will greatly shape the car's identity.

Michael Pfadenhauer is head of sound development for German sports carmaker Porsche. He told the company's official magazine that finding the right sound for a sports car is be very tricky. "There is no e-sound. It has to be invented," he said.

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