http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7555520

( better story that won't 'link' for me: )
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-garage29mar29,0,6250402.story

I heard that in Japan electic and hybrid cars have speakers in the engine compartment that sound like a (gas) engine or a clip-clop (horse) and get louder with increased speed.
This is in an effort to cut down on the number of clipped pedestrians. It might become law in (of course CA first ) the USA ?

Maybe they could use some clothesline clips and playing cards (like we used to do with our bikes) to make noise???

Get a Frankenstien Laboratory soundtrack playing thru the speakers.

Are people in Japan so stupid that ped's don't look out for cars and drivers don't look out for ped's? And the only solution they can figure out is to make the cars noisier?

How did Honda or Toyota ever come to be?

( i don't know how extensive that requirement is in Japan, i just heard a brief flash of it on some news program ),
but that was my thought too ... how can you create a green car and then the first thing you do to it is make it artificially noisy ?