On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:01:46 -0400 ede cameron ecameron@videotron.ca wrote:
The problem now is for sure that if there is a mix of different types of cars (electric and gas) and that we are use to a certain volume within our environment, buses and gas driven cars. If this volume was lowered for only electric cars then we won't hear them if however the urban volume is lowered through out then there would be no hazard,
An excellent point Ede, it's the relative, contextual volume that really counts.
lowering the volume of an urban environment obviously is not top of the list of most urban developers.
Indirectly maybe. The UK is looking at a 20mph residential urban speed limit, and I think this would also lead to quieter roads.
But standardizing a sound for all cars.. maybe just sample a gas driven car and mimimic its acceleration and pitch at different speeds.
Pretty much what we're doing in games right now. But of course I'm betting on a procedural/modelling approach :)
Seems a shame to have opportunity to lower volumes in urban settings and not work out some solution that involves decreasing sound levels instead of increasing them.
And an opportunity to increase road safety. There's nothing in particular about a car engine sound that makes it easy to localise or estimate the speed of the vehicle, other than as an aquired/learned skill. Perhaps that familiar sound can be accented, augmented to channel better information, definitely a job for rational sound design.
cheers,
Andy