This work is relevant for this category because it represents an innovation regarding the way in which the artificial sound created for hybrid and electric vehicles is conceived. That is, thinking of this sound as a tool for pedestrian safety but also as a tool for the well-being of plant and animal species.

In the European Union as in the United States, from 2020 it will become mandatory to add artificial sound to electric and hybrid vehicles, as a safety standard. This is because the vehicles of this technology do not emit sound while they are moving, which becomes dangerous for pedestrians and other vehicles that are on public roads.

For this reason, various manufacturers are beginning to design sounds for their electric and hybrid models.

The news made us wonder, what if the Acoustic Vehicle Alert Systems (AVAS) could contribute to the environment besides being functional?

Based on the previously mentioned context and having to design an artificial sound for our hybrid and electric models, we wondered if the sound, in addition to fulfilling its functional role to comply with the regulations, could do something else, such as benefit the environment.

Global research on how noise affects plants shows that they react to specific waveform spectrum vibrations (between 250-2500Hz). When exposed to a specific range of frequencies, plants show better growth and absorption of nutrients.

Taking these findings as a starting point, we decided to design a sound for vehicles that, contrary to damaging their environment, benefits them. With this information in mind, we've developed The Hy Project, the first AVAS sound that benefits the environment.

Patented (Japan, US) - 00230040098 - 63 CA, Florida.

The sound was designed between 250 - 2500 Hz, with a power limit of 60 dB. This range and intensity of frequencies are the key finding on which the project is based. These values are also within those allowed in the regulations, both in the European Union and in the United States.

We've developed a device to implement Hy in any vehicle. Its microprocessor is capable of dynamically change the sound of the car to match its speed.

The Hy Project began by applying it to the fleet of hybrid and electric vehicles in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. Later it began to be applied in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is currently scaling to other markets in Latin America.

At the level of relevance in the industry, it supposes a disruption in the conception of vehicles, not as a pollution factor, but one with beneficial effects for its environment.

Regarding this, it has been possible to verify up to 72% more biomass, more and better absorption of water, light, as well as beneficial effects at the level of cell division, in plants, being exposed to designed sound.