Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS)

Quiet Vehicle Sounder – Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS)

Known as an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) across the automotive market, the Quiet Vehicle Sounder warns vulnerable road users of an approaching electric/hybrid vehicle.

The problem with silence

Without an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS), electric and hybrid vehicles are almost silent; they are only audible once they have built up some speed (approximately 20kph) when wind and road noise generate enough sound that they can be heard. Studies have concluded that electric and hybrid vehicles pose a danger to vulnerable road users (VRU) and increase the risk of incidents with pedestrians by up to 80%. Sound is an important contributor to road safety for pedestrians, not only for the blind or visually impaired.

The solution

Since 2010, Brigade has been involved in the QRTV (Quiet Road Transport Vehicles) working group to establish requirements for a UN standard.

Brigade has developed a multi-frequency Quiet Vehicle Sounder, integrating the patented bbs-tek® technology. bbs-tek® uses a wide range of White Sound® frequencies. This enables anyone in the direct path of the vehicle to instantly locate where and what direction the sound is coming from and take evasive action if required. There is no safer alternative.

Heard Only Where it Matters – Brigade’s Quiet Vehicle Sounder creates a “sssshhhhh” sound which is gentle on the ear and dissipates quickly once the vehicle has passed, meaning it can only be heard in the danger zone (0-20mph). People living and working in the surrounding areas will not be impacted by unnecessary sound, reducing the impact on peoples health.

Features of AVAS

  • Warns pedestrians and other VRU’s that a quiet vehicle is approaching
  • bbs-tek® patented technology – Multi-frequency sound – Directional and locatable – The sound is only heard in the hazard zone
  • Front speaker with optional rear speaker
  • Pitch and volume automatically increases with vehicle speed to mimic an internal combustion engine
  • Sound cuts out at 20mph
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Legislation affecting quiet vehicles and acoustic vehicle alerting systems

Both the US and the EU are introducing standards to ensure minimum sound requirements for electric and hybrid vehicles to protect VRUs. An Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) will need to be fitted to make electric or hybrid vehicles “sound similar” to vehicles with combustion engines when travelling at low speed.

EU: UNECE R138 – From July 2019: All new hybrid and electric vehicles to be sold in Europe will need an acoustic vehicle alerting system to emit sound when travelling at low speeds.

US: NHTSA 49 CFR Part 571 and 585 – By September 2020: All hybrid and electric vehicles in USA will need an acoustic vehicle alerting system to emit sound when travelling at low speeds.

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Award Winning Solution

Living Environment Award – Sound, Vibration and Air Quality conference, Hoevelaken, Netherlands

Brigade Electronics won a Living Environment Award at the 22nd edition of the Sound, Vibration and Air Quality conference in Hoevelaken, Netherlands. Brigade’s Quiet Vehicle Sounder (QVS), won the award in the product innovations category presented by former Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Jacqueline Cramer.

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CLEPA Innovation Award 2018

Brigade Electronics has won a CLEPA Innovation Award in the SME Safety Category for its Quiet Vehicle Sounder (QVS) Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System. Organised by CLEPA -The European Association of Automotive Suppliers – the awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the automotive supply industry by recognising innovation in the fields of environment, safety, connectivity, automation and cooperation.

“At Brigade it’s our mission to improve road safety, so we are absolutely thrilled to receive this award and be recognised for the important work we do in helping to prevent collisions and save lives” Philip Hanson-Abbott, Managing Director, Brigade Electronics

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Noise Abatement Society – John Connell Innovation Awards 2017

Brigade Electronics won the John Connell Innovation award thanks to the Quiet Vehicle Sounders use of broadband sound. Brigade patented bbs-tek® broadband sound is easier for pedestrians to locate than pure tone sounds, producing a non invasive sound that quickly dissipates.

Gloria Elliott, Noise Abatement Society Chief Executive, said: “NAS congratulates Brigade on its ground breaking electric car sounder innovation which will help protect pedestrians as well as the aural environment.”

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