Electric car manufacturers may install a feature on their vehicles to make them more audible.

The practically noiseless cars could be hazardous to pedestrians, who could unwittingly step out in front of one, so regulators in the European Union are considering allowing producers to use different sounds to negate the problem.

It is thought that the sounds will be different from the standard noise an engine tends to make, and there have even been suggestions that Star Wars-style sound effects might be used.

According to the Daily Mail, research by the University of California found that electric cars got 40 per cent closer to pedestrians compared to petrol and diesel cars before they could be detected by sound.

The Toyota Prius, a hybrid car launched in 1997, saw record UK sales in February, with 538 units sold, and since then the total number of sales for the eco-friendly vehicle have exceeded 1.6 million.

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