What Is AVAS?
AVAS, the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, is the artificial exterior sound that electric and hybrid vehicles must emit at low speeds so pedestrians can hear them coming. Required by EU regulation for new vehicles, it activates below roughly 20 km/h and when reversing, replacing the warning noise a combustion engine once provided.
AVAS in Practice
What began as a safety mandate became a branding opportunity. EU rules have required an AVAS on new electric and hybrid vehicle types since July 2019 and on all new such vehicles since July 2021: the system must sound continuously below roughly 20 km/h and when reversing, with a character that indicates what the vehicle is doing, because near-silent EVs proved a real hazard to pedestrians, particularly those with sight loss. Carmakers quickly realised the mandated sound is heard by every pedestrian a vehicle passes, and the most famous response is BMW’s IconicSounds Electric programme with composer Hans Zimmer, covered in full under product sound design in this glossary. Every EV brand now chooses between generic compliance noise and a distinctive asset that carries the brand.
Famous Example
BMW’s IconicSounds Electric, created with Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale
A
S
- Shepard Tone
- Skeuomorphic Sound
- Sonic
- Sonic Audit
- Sonic Brand Guidelines
- Sonic Branding
- Sonic DNA
- Sonic Identity
- Sonic Logo
- Sonic Palette
- Sonification
- Sound Branding
- Sound Design
- Sound Effect (SFX)
- Sound Symbolism
- Sound Trademark
- Sound-alike
- Soundscape
- Spatial Audio
- Startup Sound
- Stem
- Sting
- Sung Slogan
- Sync Licensing
- Synthetic Voice
A memorable jingle is one tool within a brand’s wider sonic branding.
