Electric and hybrid cars make less noise and because of that the government has been working to impose quiet car rules that would mandate such vehicles come equipped with audio alerts while driving at low speeds.
But it looks like those rules won't be put into effect before the end of this year, either. That's because, Reuters reported Tuesday that U.S. regulators are delaying proposed rules that would warn vision-impaired pedestrians with audio alerts until at least mid-March of 2016.
This comes after National Highway Traffic Safety Administration official, Mark Rosekind, said this past July that regulation would be finalized by November. The Transportation Department posted on its website that the delay is due to "additional coordination" being necessary.
The delay marks a damaging blow to regulators, while it buys more time for automakers such as Tesla, Ford, General Motors and Toyota to plan to include audio-alert technology to provide pedestrians warnings, while driving at 18 miles per hour or less.
Previously, such automakers voiced their opinions about the audio alerts being too loud and even complex. Two years ago, when the NHTSA began working on quiet car rules, it estimated the cost to install waterproof speakers for the audio alerts to rock the auto industry for nearly $23 million.
Such rules would apply to electric and hybrid cars in addition to motorcycles and larger vehicles such as SUVs, buses and trucks.
The chances of hybrid vehicles being involved in pedestrian accidents are 19 percent higher than traditional gas-powered cars, according to the NHTSA.
The NHTSA also estimated to Reuters that if the quiet car rules were implemented, there would be nearly 3,000 fewer pedestrian bicycle injuries per year.
