Tesla mutes “Boombox” feature, which drowns out federally mandated pedestrian warning sounds
Tesla has issued a recall for a partial shutdown Boombox feature was originally added in late 2020, as it interferes with federally mandated pedestrian warning sounds.
Released in December 2020 as part of a software update, Boombox mode allows drivers to play sounds outside of their cars. Instead of the usual car horn, it includes options like goat squeal, ice cream truck music, clapping and farting sounds.
However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that this could cause cars to fail to comply with federal “quiet vehicle” rules that require electric and hybrid vehicles. sounds pedestrians at low speeds.
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid
Pedestrian warning sounds and Boombox sounds are separate, but because both are played through the speakerphone, the Boombox sound can drown out pedestrian warnings, according to NHTSA. recall report.
The recall affects 578,607 vehicles that received the Tesla firmware update 2020.48.25, the report said. That includes the 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, and Model Y EVs, as well as the 2017-2022 Model 3 sedan.
Tesla will be releasing an over-the-air software update to disable Boombox mode while the vehicle is driving, neutral, or in reverse. The automaker used its constant updates to quickly address recalls, including a recent one. for heat pump troubleshooting.
2022 Tesla Model 3
A similar feature of Tesla Are not thwarting federal rules is the right to sound as part of Sentry mode. That could be because the car is stationary in Sentry mode, which could also be why the recall report doesn’t make any mention of the need to disable Boombox mode while the car is parked.
Federal quiet car regulations require electric vehicles to emit noise at speeds up to 18.6 mph. The lack of exhaust noise makes these cars harder to hear at low speeds, regulators say, but noise from tires, blowing wind and other sounds can be overcome. The rules took more than a decade to issuewas first proposed in 2010.
A number of automakers have worked on the framework to create some pretty well-established plot sounds, from science fiction to nature. Ford, for example, created a “Unique sound design“for hybrid and electric vehicles.
