Hacking the Pedistrian Warning System Sounds

[sr3jan]

If you just disconnect this module will the truck still run?

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[ED_C]

Wondering.... Could I change the pedestrian warning sounds?

I picked up a spare to play with via ebay.... This is located under the glove box.

Pretty simple device, 6 wires in and out. Power, Ground, CANBUS high and low and a speaker.

Cracked it open and identified the chips..

ARM processor, Amp chip on one side:

Op Amp, Line Driver and Flash memory on the bottom.

Dumped the Flash chip and low and behold... Our truck sounds.

Interestingly how they did it...

The Left Channel is the running sound.

While the Right Channel is the backup sound.

Which sounds like this:
(Couldn't upload audio files here.... so converted them to blank videos).

Backing up (Left Channel)

Driving (Right Channel)

 

[ED_C]

You could get rich by locating and disabling all of the goofy noises / sounds mytruck make. silence is golden.

 

[SmoothJ]

You could get rich by locating and disabling all of the goofy noises / sounds mytruck make. silence is golden.

Since the sounds are on the chip, if you can just re-flash the chip to make them blank (to not cause errors) or something else might be better.

 

[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

If we can reprogram it, maybe get "ED-209" to voice a warning - "Step away from the Lightning...you have 20 seconds to comply"

 

[pullinggs]

Imperial March backup sound

Beat me to it!

 

[SmoothJ]

If we can reprogram it, maybe get "ED-209" to voice a warning - "Step away from the Lightning...you have 20 seconds to comply"

Or the classic... "This is Viper, stand back"

 

[mikeyb]

Amazing work. Unsure your truck does, love to hear the fix. When my spouse riding with me I get directions even though I put nothing in the navigation system,.

 

[bananaslug79]

Love the nerds here

Regarding "changing" these sounds, wouldn't there be some kind of failsafe built in to prevent that? I only bring it up since it is federal law (as someone else already pointed out) to have minimum sound levels on hybrid & electric vehicles.

Not that it is a simple feat to even get here (as evidenced by the High Level of Nerd) but if it was as "easy" as reprogramming, copying files, etc. what would prevent someone from putting dead silence in here and technically break the law?

I dig the discussion!

 

[daczone]

Love the nerds here

Regarding "changing" these sounds, wouldn't there be some kind of failsafe built in to prevent that? I only bring it up since it is federal law (as someone else already pointed out) to have minimum sound levels on hybrid & electric vehicles.

Not that it is a simple feat to even get here (as evidenced by the High Level of Nerd) but if it was as "easy" as reprogramming, copying files, etc. what would prevent someone from putting dead silence in here and technically break the law?

I dig the discussion!

I'm no lawyer, but I do believe this is where Tesla said a few years back... the Federal mandate says it needs to make noise, they didn't say what noise and thus allowed us all to change to anything we wanted (ice cream truck, running horses, applause, etc). Until there were complaints and or as it was mentioned the fun police showed up and they had to take it away. Anyway, On the Tesla you can still change the sounds, just not while the vehicle is in motion. So the Horn for example.

I'd guessing the noise for EV's is a federal mandate required by automakers, but no fun police are going to check your vehicle or issue a ticket for it. So to each their own.

As for Easy.. it's not. The Pedestrian Module has to be accessed (removed) the chip in question identified and reflashed, much like reflashing a ECU back in the day. Or hacked. Only those with the skills would be able to pull it off.

As far is going 100% silence.... EASY, Unplug the speaker! You may get a code because the device may be able to detect the absense of the speaker, but a 4 ohm resister as a dummy load could be installed in it's place. And there are companies sell them today. (Electrically a speaker is nothing more than a load coil of a set resistance, 4 ohms in this case). And yes anyone can unplug the speaker. speaker bypass

 

[GDN]

Love the nerds here

Regarding "changing" these sounds, wouldn't there be some kind of failsafe built in to prevent that? I only bring it up since it is federal law (as someone else already pointed out) to have minimum sound levels on hybrid & electric vehicles.

Not that it is a simple feat to even get here (as evidenced by the High Level of Nerd) but if it was as "easy" as reprogramming, copying files, etc. what would prevent someone from putting dead silence in here and technically break the law?

I dig the discussion!

You're living in the wrong age. There is nothing that you can produce that can't be hacked, changed, updated, completely removed. Let the feds go hunt each one down if they so desire.

The dead silence you speak of was already discussed in this thread and is just as easy to do as it would be to change the sound.

Ford did their due diligence to add yet another module to these trucks to adhere to a law. Now that is a nice challenge to let all the smart folk that drive these trucks to find fun ways to make modifications. No different than someone breaking the speed limit. There could be consequences, but only if you get caught or it causes some sort of accident and it was found you broke a law.

 

[I <3 My Lightning]

Which one of you smarty pants started to build the wire harness and switch to keep the original module and a secondary fun one?

 

[daczone]

Just to be the bummer of the room...since I looked it up to see if maybe it said something along the lines of "must come equipped with" but nothing else, letting us legally change it, which unfortunately is not the case.
Text from chatgpt, I have not validated the info.


The law mandating that electric and hybrid vehicles emit sounds to alert pedestrians is codified in 49 CFR § 571.141, titled Standard No. 141; Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles. This regulation was established under the authority of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 and is enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Key Provisions:

Applicability: The standard applies to electric and hybrid vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,536 kg (10,000 pounds) or less, including passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, and low-speed vehicles.

Sound Emission Requirements: Vehicles must emit a pedestrian alert sound when stationary and during operation at speeds up to 30 km/h (approximately 18.6 mph). The sound must meet specific frequency and sound pressure level requirements across various one-third octave bands ranging from 315 Hz to 5000 Hz. For example, at a constant speed of 30 km/h, the vehicle must emit a sound with minimum A-weighted sound pressure levels as specified in Table 5 of the regulation.

Volume Variation: The emitted sound must vary in volume to reflect changes in vehicle speed, aiding pedestrians in assessing the vehicle's movement.

Uniformity: Vehicles of the same make, model, model year, body type, and trim level must emit the same pedestrian alert sound under identical operating conditions.

Tampering Prohibition: The regulation prohibits disabling, altering, replacing, or modifying the pedestrian alert sound system, except for repairs addressing malfunctions or non-compliance.

Compliance Timeline: All applicable vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021, must comply with this standard.


For the complete and detailed regulatory text, you can refer to the official document here: 49 CFR § 571.141

This would require enforcement, which is non-existent. I'm not suggesting that the system be removed or silenced, just altered in the sounds that it originally had. There is a whole topic on this here: federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-minimum-sound-requirements-for-hybrid-and-electric-vehicles

In our EV's we simply want to change our muffler for a more desirable noise. That should not be illegal.

 

[mklcolvin]

I always thought it should sound like KITT from Knight Rider if we could just get the light bar to move back-and-forth!

I would love that SO much!

 

[ctuan13]

When I first got the truck I also didn't hear a forward sound and only thought the motor whine was Ford's interpretation of the federal ev pedestrian law. Our kia ev6 is louder but no where near that super annoying Toyota pedestrian sound that you can hear like a 1/4 mile away.

A few months after I purchased the truck I was cruising with the windows down on a detoured route directed by several officers. Some local city police and some state troopers. All commented as I cruised past and I even spoke to them as I was still rolling by. One said that's one quiet truck, my reply it's 100 percent electric. One said what is powering your truck it's dead silent?, once again I said it's 100 percent electric. One said your truck is off, you know it's not safe or legal to coast in neutral, once again I replied it's 100 percent electric.

I swear the Easter egg to the recent gateway update last month fixed this issue. I now can here the pedestrian sound even with all the sound deadening audio upgrades that I did later on.

I have the MegaOhm Motorsports disable kit installed and my truck is truly silent. But the motors make a surprising amount of noise at low speeds, a combination of a whooshing and whirring sound.

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