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Polestar 2 Sounds Like a Beating Heart as It Creeps Up on Pedestrians

On July 1, 2019, the use of Acoustic Vehicle Alert Systems (AVAS) on new electric vehicles traveling at slow speeds became mandatory in the European Union. Other countries and states are in the process of implementing rules in this field as well, as a means to ensure the safety of the pedestrians that otherwise would not be able to hear EVs creeping up on them.
Visual of the Polestar 2 heartbeat sound 1 photo
Photo: Polestar
For a while now carmakers have been developing AVAS for use in their vehicles. Because there is no rule to the type of sound that needs to be generated, all are free to use whatever sounds they like, as long as their audible.

Volkswagen, for instance, came up with a distinct sound for its ID.3. When hearing it, it’s like X-wing starfighters flying overhead. It starts low, then builds up as the car accelerates just like sci-fi movies energy weapons do when they charge up.

For its upcoming range of electric cars, BMW tapped German composer Hans Zimmer for the task of coming up with the desired sounds. And there are many other examples.

The next hot upcoming EV is the Polestar 2. The Volvo spinoff operating on Chinese money is aiming the electric fastback straight at the dominant EV maker on the market, Tesla, with performances and pricing to match.

The Polestar 2 has its own sound as well, one that according to the company has been “engineered according to very specific parameters, with a pending patent.”

Words aside, the sound the electric Polestar 2 makes – available to listen at this link – it’s not unlike that of a beating heart, as you can hear it when a patient is connected to a heart monitor.

“We deliberately did not want Polestar 2 to sound like a robot or symphonic spaceship,” said in a statement Thomas Ingenlath. Polestar CEO.

“We wanted very natural, subtle sounds that simply let pedestrians know the car is moving. At the same time, we wanted Polestar 2 to sound slightly unique and become identifiable as a Polestar, while remaining relatively simple.”
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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