For most people, when you think about the various problems caused by automobiles, you don’t usually think about the noise made by tires. However, there is legislation in Europe now that, if passed, would regulate how much noise a tire could make when going down the road.
Now, there is evidence to suggest that noisy tires may be more than just a minor nuisance. One report says that there is a health risk to noisy tires. It suggests that noise coming from rail and road transport contributes to 50,000 heart attacks a year, and adds to 200,000 cases of cardiovascular disease, in Europe alone. The report doesn’t distinguish between rail and road causes, however, and some experts have called the report into question.
In addition to tire noise, the legislation will require a variety of other safety and environmental specifications be met by tire manufacturers. For example, the legislation would require that, by 2012, all tires for passenger cars would have systems to monitor their tire pressure. In addition, tires would be required to have lower rolling resistance and an increased amount of wet grip.
There are other proposed regulations that have nothing to do with tires, too. The legislation requires that all new cars have electronic stability control systems by 2012. Heavy-duty vehicles would have to have advanced emergency brake systems and lane-departure warning systems, both of which are still in the early stages of development and fairly untested, by 2013. Electronic stability control is already set to be mandatory in the United States in 2012, and it is expected that Canada and Australia will follow suit soon.
If you’re in the market for a more fuel efficient car, come see us. We are your local Lehigh Valley Hyundai dealer. We’re the best place to find new Hyundai cars, ans we serve the entire Lehigh Valley which consists of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, PA near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
