For years, advocacy groups have worked to expose a truth that health researchers know all too well: traffic noise is far more than just a nuisance. It is an important public health concern.

Now, we are taking that mission global. In collaboration with Quiet Communities (QC), we have been invited to participate in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Task Force on Vehicle Sound (TF-VS) under the Working Party on Noise and Tyres (GRBP).

We are officially stepping up to represent citizens, health science, and liveable communities at the international regulatory table.

Why This Matters to You

When automakers design vehicles or write international noise rules, those decisions directly dictate the sound levels on your neighbourhood streets.

Environmental noise from road traffic is currently the leading source of noise pollution worldwide. According to the European Environment Agency, road noise costs nearly €86 billion annually in health burdens and damages quality of life for over 100 million people. Long-term exposure to transport noise is associated with a range of health impacts, including:Cardiovascular Disease & Hypertension: Chronic traffic sound triggers elevated stress hormones and blood pressure.

• Sleep Disturbance: Unpredictable peak noise interrupts deep, restorative sleep cycles.

• Impacts on Vulnerable Populations: Children, older adults, veterans with PTSD, neurodivergent individuals, and cardiac patients suffer disproportionately from sudden, loud exposures.

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) offers a historic opportunity to dramatically quiet urban areas. However, automakers are now attempting to introduce Enhanced Exterior Sound (EES)—using speakers designed to broadcast safety sounds to also simulate engine roars, exhaust notes, and loud accelerations for driver entertainment.

Without appropriate limits, EES could undermine some of the noise-reduction benefits associated with the transition to electric vehicles.

Building an International Coalition

To tackle this challenge at the highest level, NMN and QC hope to connect with others to create an international coalition of grassroots advocates, public health experts, and supportive country delegations:

• Quiet Communities (QC): Founded by environmental health scientist Dr. Jamie Banks, QC is the premier nonprofit advancing scientific evidence to reduce the harmful effects of noise on public health and the environment.

• Health-Focused Country Delegations: Within UNECE GRBP discussions, we will connect with supportive Contracting Parties—including Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, the European Commission, and Luxembourg—who are fighting to restrict unnecessary artificial noise in favour of public health.

• Allied Advocacy Groups: We are hoping to connect independent resident and community networks and acoustic experts across North America and Europe to push back against industry lobbying.

What Is Next: Presenting on October 20th in Barcelona

On October 20th, NMN and Quiet Communities will present our joint Policy Briefing directly to the UN Task Force on Vehicle Sound at their meeting in Barcelona.

Our brief outlines explicit recommendations for international regulators:

1. Prioritize Harm Reduction: Make public health and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG #3 Good Health and SDG #11 Sustainable Cities) core targets for vehicle noise regulation.

2. Prohibit EES for Entertainment: Completely ban non-safety artificial noise systems (EES) on electric vehicles.

3. Protect AVAS for Safety: Keep mandatory low-speed pedestrian safety sounds (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems) capped to minimum necessary levels with high acoustic quality, preventing them from being co-opted into loud branding speakers.

4. Target Peak Single-Event Exposures: Move regulatory metrics beyond simple average noise levels to stop loud accelerations, flap exhausts, and backfires that trigger complaints.

We are excited to bring your voice directly to international policy makers. Stay tuned as we share updates from Barcelona and continue working toward healthier, calmer and more liveable streets for everyone.