‘Elvin’ the UFO hits campus roads

There is a new electrical vehicle on campus, named Elvin (Electric Vehicle with Interactive Noise) with sounds that could be described as distinctly UFO-like.

A little green van that resembles a little green man, it was created by Appraise. This is part of a major research project aimed at combating the safety issues arising from the use of electrical cars, which are normally very quiet. Elvin is a utility vehicle used around campus to patrol the car parks and to gain experience of the reactions of drivers and pedestrians who hear its unique sounds.

Researchers will ask those who hear Elvin’s sounds to give feedback to the project, with opinion on a range of subjects such as whether they are effective as a safety warning, or just plain annoying.

Professor Paul Jennings from WMG at the University of Warwick, the lead researcher on the project, said: “Electric Vehicles are very quiet externally and internally, which makes them a potential low-speed safety risk to pedestrians. Sound not only alerts people to the presence and direction of a vehicle, it also indicates the type of vehicle – for instance a bus – and whether it is stopping or accelerating.”

However, it is possible that some of the noises emitted from Elvin strongly resemble those emitted from UFOs in early science fiction movies. This could cause considerable distraction to pedestrians looking skywards for the source of such strange emanations.

This aside, the Elvin project is compatible with the University of Warwick’s wish to expand its own campus electric vehicle fleet and a desire to learn as much from their use as possible, including which sounds are most suitable. Following this pilot study there will be a wider-ranging and more long-term period of study and research using this vehicle alongside a range of other vehicles. The team hopes that word will spread about Elvin and attract different community groups to listen to its sounds.