Agenda for the 23rd session of the Task Force on Vehicles Sound on 20 October 2026. The session will cover adoption of the agenda and report of the 22nd session, exchange of information on national and international requirements including presentations on quiet communities and noise sensitivity analysis, cross-matrix comparison of sound traffic modelling approaches with presentations on noise modelling and CNOSSOS-FR parameters, any other business, and arrangement of the next meeting in February 2027.

Policy briefing addressing road traffic noise as a public health hazard and environmental concern. Documents adverse health effects of chronic noise exposure including cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, and cognitive impairment affecting over 100 million people. Identifies single-event noise exposures from modified combustion vehicles as disproportionately harmful drivers of citizen complaints. Warns that Enhanced Exterior Sound (EES) systems in electric vehicles replicate these harmful characteristics through high peak levels, steep onset rates, and prominent low-frequency tonal content. Recommends prohibiting EES designed to create sounds unrelated to safety, regulating Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) to minimum levels necessary for pedestrian safety while ensuring sound quality accessible to vulnerable populations, employing supplemental metrics beyond A-weighted averages to characterize harmful exposures, and making harm reduction an explicit objective of vehicle sound regulation.

Policy briefing on road traffic noise as a health hazard and the opportunity for electric vehicles to reduce environmental noise pollution. Documents health impacts including hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and sleep disruption, with particular vulnerability for infants, children, seniors, and people with pre-existing conditions. Addresses enhanced exterior sound systems in EVs that replicate combustion engine noise, undermining noise reduction benefits. Recommends regulating acoustic vehicle alerting systems for pedestrian safety while prohibiting sounds beyond public safety requirements, and prioritizing public health over commercial preferences.

Study identifying and prioritizing road traffic parameters that most strongly influence linear acoustic power levels and noise exposure using the European regulatory method CNOSSOS-FR in the Hauts-de-Seine department. Sensitivity calculations applied to 25 of 36 municipalities using E5 parameters, with population exposure counted using the median method. Analysis examines hourly traffic composition, pavement data from Renault sensors collected June 2024 to May 2026, and average speed data from departmental and national sources.

Presentation on the Nord2000 noise model used in Sweden for road traffic noise mapping. Nord2000 uses five vehicle categories described by weight and number of axles, with 1/3 octave band frequency resolution from 25 to 10000 Hz. Two sources per vehicle category represent rolling and propulsion mechanisms. The model includes surface corrections based on Swedish CPX measurements, horizontal and vertical directivity patterns, and methods for deriving source sound power levels from field measurements using the propagation model with assumed omnidirectional sources.

Presentation comparing results of Switzerland’s NExUS study on electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles with RD-ASEP Sound Expectation Model predictions. NExUS study objective was to compare EVs with ICE vehicles of the same consumer segment to better understand EV modelling. Key findings show overall sound levels of EVs and modern ICEs are close under constant speed, while ICE sound is higher under low-speed acceleration. RD-ASEP SEM predictions align closely with NExUS measurements for both accelerated and constant speed conditions.