Electric vehicle (EV) in Australia continue to grow in numbers and are fundamentally changing the daily soundscape of our city streets. The noises from an intake and exhaust are making way for a near-silent rolling resistance of the tyre against the tarmac.
That whisper-quiet operation is often touted as one of the technology’s biggest benefits, but for pedestrians, cyclists, and the vision-impaired, it’s become a critical safety challenge.
Starting tomorrow, 1 November, that silent threat officially gets a soundtrack. The Federal Government’s new Australian Design Rule, officially known as ADR 113/00 – Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems for Quiet Road Transport Vehicles, begins its two-stage rollout, ensuring every new electrified vehicle sold here will have an audible presence at low speeds. This is a pragmatic, necessary step that aligns Australia with global best practices.
The new 2-stage AVAS mandate
From tomorrow, 1 November, 2025, the AVAS mandate applies to new model lines of electric, hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles submitted for type approval in Australia.
The real volume kicks in a year later. From 1 November, 2026, the rule extends to all new quiet road transport vehicles manufactured and supplied to the Australian market. This strategic phasing ensures every segment—from passenger cars and vans to trucks and buses—will eventually comply, making our streets consistently safer for everyone.
How AVAS works and what It sounds like
The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System is essentially an exterior sound generator designed for low-speed safety. It activates from a standstill up to 20km/h, automatically generating a continuous synthetic sound that alerts nearby road users. Above this speed, road noise from tyres and wind is generally sufficient to make the vehicle audible, allowing the AVAS to naturally fade out.
The sound itself is regulated under the ADR to avoid becoming a source of noise pollution. It must automatically vary in pitch or volume to indicate when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, providing crucial directional information to pedestrians who can’t see the car.
The rule sets a maximum overall sound pressure level of 75dBA, which the government points out is no noisier than a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle operating at the same speed, roughly equivalent to a typical dishwasher.
Major Safety and economic benefits
The argument for mandatory AVAS has always been about protecting the most vulnerable: children, cyclists, and the blind or low-vision community. These groups are particularly reliant on auditory cues to navigate busy environments like car parks, driveways, and crosswalks. The quiet nature of EVs drastically increases the risk of ‘silent’ collisions in these settings.
The Australian Government’s commitment is based on compelling data showing the long-term impact of the technology. Over the lifespan of the rule, it is estimated AVAS will help prevent 68 fatalities, 2,675 serious injuries, and 2,962 minor injuries by 2060. The economic case is equally strong, with the government estimating a total community saving of A$208 million through avoided hospitalisations, emergency services, and productivity losses.
The new rule demonstrates a mature approach to adopting new technology, mitigating its unintended safety consequences before they become a widespread crisis. It’s a key reason why global markets like the European Union and the United States have already mandated these systems.
The voices behind the change
The mandate has received strong support across the board, from the automotive industry right through to community safety advocates. The introduction of the rule is a direct response to years of lobbying from organisations representing vulnerable Australians.
“This new Design Rule will ultimately improve road safety for everyone on our roads,” said Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten, highlighting the universal benefit of the adjustment. Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown echoed this sentiment, pointing out that Australia is finally catching up.
“AVAS technology is already mandated in the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea and the United States. This is our opportunity to catch up with the developed world. This technology will go a long way to preventing pedestrian crashes, especially for our most vulnerable,”
Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.
The rule’s introduction is a significant win for advocacy groups, who view it as a necessary adjustment to guarantee the right to safe, independent mobility for their communities.
Tesla already sorted
While this ADR is new to Australian law, the technology itself is not new. Many major manufacturers have already been fitting AVAS to models destined for Australia simply because they must comply with the established regulations in larger markets overseas. This is a benefit of global harmonisation in vehicle standards.
In particular, Tesla has been including a Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) speaker in its vehicles for several years to meet the requirements of US and European regulations.
This system, which generates an exterior sound at low speeds, means many of the most popular EVs already on Australian roads, such as the Model 3 and Model Y, are already compliant. For owners of older, pre-PWS Model 3s, retrofit options have even been made available in the Australian market through the manufacturer’s service channels.
This forward-thinking integration by key players demonstrates that the technology does not negatively impact the driving experience. Instead, it simply offers a critical audible bridge between the driver enjoying the quiet cabin and the pedestrian navigating the environment outside.
The road ahead
The integration of AVAS into the Australian vehicle landscape marks a necessary maturation of the EV transition. The low-speed hum will soon become the universal sound of electric power in our suburbs, a subtle but vital signpost that technology and safety are moving forward together. This is a smart move for road safety, ensuring that our push for a cleaner environment doesn’t inadvertently leave our most vulnerable road users exposed.
For more information, head to https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/making-some-noise-safer-vehicles
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