Let me check the timeline:

This study goes from 2013-2017 - Shows the EVs are hitting pedestrians in urban areas more often than ICE vehicles. The study even indicates that this is likely due to EVs being very quiet at low speeds not being heard in urban environments. Results surfaced in 2018 from the database, but the article published in 2024 for some reason.
(another confounding variable is driver age, concerns that younger drivers hit more people. While the study adds this, I think the quiet nature is more likely)

Rural areas with less noise pollution have similar pedestrian incidents for EVs and combustion vehicles.


September 2019, EVs are mandated to have artificial noisemaker installed to warn pedestrians when driving slow.

2020, Covid shutdown.

2021-2023, The artificial noisemakers are shown make a large difference.


Honestly, I personally think the only people who think this is not an easily fixed problem just have an axe to grind or irrational bias against EVs. Overall we can fix this. EVs are here to stay for the simple reason that an electric engine is 85% efficient and can be powered by any fuel that can be converted to electricity. ICE engines take only 1 fuel type, and they are horribly inefficient with no solution in sight. The other problems with EVs can be engineered and fixed over time.

Sidenote: I fully accept that the Cybertruck is a pedestrian killer with its ZERO crumple zone and sharp corners. . . add in the hilarious videos of people crushing their fingers. . . Yeah, Cybertruck is not meant to be safe on pedestrians . . . probably the stupidest car concept I have seen in a long time.

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