MG4 lack of generated exterior sound during movement?

[Hboutdat]

So when we went to Test drive the MG4, it seemed to be near silent when heard moving from an exterior pov e.g. in the car park (forwards or backwards), maybe a small amount of motor whine under load if you listened hard but I expected it to have some form of audible EV sound generation when moving at low speed since I thought this was actually an UK/EU wide road safety regulation for all new 'quiet' EV/Hybrid vehicles being sold.

From the article on the GOV.uk website it states; The regulation will apply to all new types of ‘quiet’ electric and hybrid vehicles from 1 July 2019, and to all new quiet electric and hybrid vehicles registered from July 2021

• from 1 July 2019, manufacturers must fit acoustic sound systems to new types of quiet electric vehicles to prevent them being too silent, improving safety
• vehicles will now have systems to produce a sound when they are reversing or driving below 20 kilometres per hour (km/h, about 12mph) providing greater confidence to vulnerable road users
• new regulations will help ensure future transport is safe and accessible for everyone, a key Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy pledge

Most other ev's and hybrids from other manufacturers that I see/hear around the supermarket car park or on the school run seem to do this with varying mix of futuristic sounds/tones from each manufacturer.

So is this simply an omission on the MG4's coming into the country, and could this affect future mots etc if such a safety feature was to be checked??

 

[FiferMG4]

I found this in the manual concerning the Pedestrian Alert System:

 

[Hboutdat]

Atleast we know it should be present then according to the manual, wonder why the demonstrators didn't seem to be audible, plus i don't think i've heard it in any of the youtube review videos.

Would be good if an owner could confirm that the system activates as expected on their vehicles and perhaps even provide a recording of the sound from an exterior pov. I'd be interested to know what it's like in the 4, both tonally and from a volume pov in comparison to other manufacturers.

 

[Kithmo]

The one on my ZS seems to get louder as I speed up, so at walking pace it's hardly audible.

 

[Macadoodle]

I did notice that the orange trophy I test drove a couple of weeks ago made no warning noises either. Fuse 6 is apparently specific to this feature, wonder if the dealers are tugging them to get some forecourt peace ?
My sales executive person claimed their trophy was booked solid most of the week.

 

[TheTallOne]

I have to say I find the requirement for a noise at slow speeds absolutely ridiculous. The roads have been silently crawling with Prius's since 2008, and yet the bodies do not pile high. It just feels like yet more defensive scare-mongering by the EV haters...

 

[Gem10]

I have to say I find the requirement for a noise at slow speeds absolutely ridiculous. The roads have been silently crawling with Prius's since 2008, and yet the bodies do not pile high. It just feels like yet more defensive scare-mongering by the EV haters...

Check this video out....

 

[TheTallOne]

Hmm. Point taken. I wonder if, in the sunny uplands of the future, we might able to select our preferred noise from a few options. That wouldn't be so hard, would it? There's just something about the Whine that's in vogue that grinds my gears. Especially the one on the old E-Niro. Lordy.

 

[NickHeynes]

My SE appears to be completely silent.
Will be interesting to see if it forms part of the MOT

 

[4ND]

Better silent than that whiny sound I often hear when similar electric cars pass slowly. Sounds like a dodgem or some other fairground ride. MG4 full marks if it got none of those sounds.

 

[Hboutdat]

I did manage to find a video that had been posted after getting the same question relating to the system in the ZS EV.

What's curious is that in the opening comments he mentions people reporting not getting any sound in their cars, or atleast not being able to hear any notable difference between it being on or off in the menu, and potentially not working at all.

 

[Macadoodle]

My SE appears to be completely silent.
Will be interesting to see if it forms part of the MOT

If I recall correctly our first gen leaf went through at least 2 MOT's with no functioning pedestrian speaker ( think water got in it ).
Passed without comment, but my MOT guy freely confessed he didn't really 'get EV's' and resented their onward march.
It's possible he didn't bother to brush up on the specifics and passed our car 'illegally'

 

[Ian Key]

If we have a choice can I have a rumbling V8 sound for mine?

 

[FiferMG4]

If we have a choice can I have a rumbling V8 sound for mine?

 

[Chris118]

Same here, my wife says there is some sound, but being the family driver I never really heated it.

 

[BugEyed]

If I recall correctly our first gen leaf went through at least 2 MOT's with no functioning pedestrian speaker ( think water got in it ).
Passed without comment, but my MOT guy freely confessed he didn't really 'get EV's' and resented their onward march.
It's possible he didn't bother to brush up on the specifics and passed our car 'illegally'

From the article on the GOV.uk website it states; The regulation will apply to all new types of ‘quiet’ electric and hybrid vehicles from 1 July 2019, and to all new quiet electric and hybrid vehicles registered from July 2021

It wasn't a requirement when your Gen1 LEAF was built and I'm not sure that it's even a part of the MoT test yet - they'll probably only introduce it for cars registered after the July 2021 date as looking up approval dates is a pain in the ass.

 

[tsedge]

It wasn't a requirement when your Gen1 LEAF was built and I'm not sure that it's even a part of the MoT test yet - they'll probably only introduce it for cars registered after the July 2021 date as looking up approval dates is a pain in the ass.

It is not in the current MOT, nothing mentioned in revisions since 2018.

 

[Hallix73]

If we have a choice can I have a rumbling V8 sound for mine?

I can send you recording of my Stag V8..

 

[Ian Key]

I can send you recording of my Stag V8..

My brother used to have one in old English white also with the original engine and stainless steel exhausts

 

[Hallix73]

My brother used to have one in old English white also with the original engine and stainless steel exhausts

I had a white one but it was stolen back in 1998. Had this one since 2004 and had a lot of work on it. Just put the hard top on for the winter.