New car horn that sounds like a synthesised duck has been developed as an alternative to the angry honk
The device was developed to get attention in a less stressful way.
![](https://www.expressandstar.com/resizer/v2/UURQAWRRZNGDJBBG3SE5MT3MVY.jpg?auth=d921bab286d23c349cd9d240511846f38834e539e310dd624bea86c67d78e17c&width=300&height=225)
A quacking car horn designed to alert people to danger while reducing the cacophony of noise on city streets has been developed by sound experts.
The device, which sounds a little like a synthesised duck, was developed to get attention in a less stressful way than the traditional angry honk.
Scientists returned to the early days of motoring and re-modelled the classic Klaxon “ah-oo-gah” car horn introduced in 1908.
Different sound variations were tested on 100 volunteers before deciding on the pedestrian-friendly “quack”.
![Honking.](http://content.assets.pressassociation.io/2017/06/25135653/GettyImages-525235798.jpg)
“Our new Klaxon sound can immediately alert the pedestrians of the danger while also reducing the unpleasantness and stress of the sound.”
The aim was to find a sound that could be noticed without being too irritating.
Test listeners were asked to evaluate candidate car horn sounds for perceptual qualities such as stress and loudness.
![Ducks in the river.](http://content.assets.pressassociation.io/2017/06/25140152/PA-29325405.jpg)
Bae said the Klaxon had the advantage of making a loud noise at low power, but its volume could not be easily controlled.
He added: “In this study, when a driver presses a Klaxon, a loud sound of 110dB or more is not transmitted directly to a pedestrian.”
The researchers believe a less startling car horn could also contribute to road safety by being less distracting to drivers.
Their findings were presented at the Acoustincs ’17 in Boston, US.