We have all read about laws from the early 1900s when automobiles hit the scene. Many cities required announcements that a self-powered vehicle was about to come down a street. Laws included a horse rider had to proceed the automobile and announce it was coming, the automobile had to honk a horn constantly and a man with a lantern must walk in front of an automobile.

Over the years cars have gotten much quieter and often in parking lots people don't hear our Honda CR-V moving and they are startled when they see it coming. Now Congress has decided something needs to be done about the quietness of modern automobiles. - honest. Congress is getting ready to pass an auto safety bill and they will set the quietness level for cars. They are concerned the hard of hearing and the blind my be run over by cars and cars should emit a certain sound level until they reach 20 mph and when they are operated in reverse. The expected emergence of electric cars and hybrid vehicles is causing Congress to hurriedly pass the bill and set minimum sound levels.

Automobile manufacturers are trying to stay ahead of the game and are already developing their own noise makers. Nissan Motor Corp is developing a whirling sound that will change pitch as their cars accelerate and a bell that will ring when the car is in reverse.

General Motors has decided to use an alert horn that chirps until the car reaches 20 mph. Toyota is studying an artificial sound, but has not decided exactly what to use, and Ford is still doing research on the sounds to use on their quiet cars.

Some experts say there should be a national standard on how the sounds are emitted instead of allowing each manufacturer to create their own unique sounds. The founder of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse said reducing noise from trucks, buses and motorcycles would increase the ability of pedestrians to detect the sounds of quiet cars. He is also concerned that adding artificial sound to quiet cars will increase noise pollution and make it harder to hear an individual vehicle.

All of the above is true and our Congress will vote on the bill this summer. Soon parking lots and city streets will sound like slot rooms in casinos with whirling sounds, toots and ringing bells.