Conway has fitted new technology to electric vans that creates a distinctive replacement sound after finding that workers faced a safety risk because they were struggling to hear the vehicles approaching on site.
The firm invested £7m in electric vans in its London fleet to tackle high emissions, cut fuel costs and pay zero road tax. But the noise of sites meant that the quiet vans could not easily be heard.
Conway has now fitted the vehicles with safety technology called the Quiet Vehicle Sounder (QVS), produced by automotive safety manufacturer Brigade Electronics.
The QVS produces a replacement sound that is designed to be heard in danger zones but less so in other situations.
The sound is directional, enabling a pedestrian or worker to tell where the vehicle is, and it varies in pitch and tone as the vehicle speeds up or slows down. A mix of frequencies ensures the QVS makes the vehicle detectable and locatable, the company says.
Pat Murphy, reactive supervisor at Conway, said: “Before retrofitting the Quiet Vehicle Sounder it was stressful driving on to site not knowing if people would hear you.
“It was nearly impossible, especially in the morning when we were all arriving to work.
“Now the QVS makes sure everyone knows you’re there.”
The QVS turns off at 20mph so noise disturbances are kept to a minimum when road noise generates enough sound that the vehicles can be heard.
But at lower speeds it emits a blend of Brigade’s bbs-tek White Sound frequencies and tonal sounds.
Conway is now looking to fit the QVS to any electric vans added to its fleet.
