Faking the vroom.

• Position: CARS - Hybrid and electric vehicles - Brief article

Hybrid and electric vehicles not only reduce air pollution and gas consumption, they also cut noise pollution with their whisper-quiet motors. Actually, they're not noisy enough, say safety experts concerned that people can't hear hybrids approaching. In a University of California study, people could hear a gas-powered car from 28 feet away, but couldn't hear a hybrid until, it was 7 feet away. That's why some hybrid carmakers are working with Hollywood special-effects wizards to create digitally enhanced vroom. The Fisker Karma, an $88,000 plug-in hybrid expected to go on sale next year, will emit a...