One of the coolest aspects of owning a Tesla is being able to creep in and out of your neighborhood in almost complete silence. Teslas are much quieter than regular cars, but this can pose a danger to distracted pedestrians unaware of a car being nearby.
To mitigate potential dangers, Tesla has cleverly installed a speaker in recent Teslas that produce a sound when the car is reversing or moving slowly – a feature called the Pedestrian Warning System, reversing sound, backup sound, or the fan-favourite ‘boombox’.
Tesla allows owners to change the sound emitted by this system. But, how exactly does one go about changing the Tesla backup sound?
Can You Change the Tesla Backup Sound?
Yes, you can change the Tesla backup sound used by the pedestrian warning system! Tesla rolled out a special holiday software update that lets you customize a variety of sounds, including the noise your Tesla makes while backing up.
Tesla includes a few interesting sounds that you can choose from. However, if you prefer a personal touch, you’re free to upload your own sounds. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
How to Change the Reverse Sound on a Tesla
If you want to change the sound your Tesla makes while backing up, here is how you can do that. You’ll need a USB drive to plug into your car, a computer, and a few MP3 files.
- Insert a USB storage drive into your Computer – Preparation is key, and before you upload your custom sounds to your USB drive, you need to change its format.
- MAC Users: Convert the USB to ExFAT Format – Have no fear if you’ve never formatted a drive before. Simply follow these steps to change your drive’s format. First, navigate to Disk Utility > select your USB drive > Click ‘Erase’ > Name it as Boombox > Select Format: ExFAT > Click ‘Erase’
- Windows Users: Change the USB to ExFAT Format – The process might seem daunting, but it’s relatively straightforward. To do this, go to Start Menu > Type “Disk management” > Click on “Create and format hard disk partitions” > Select your USB Drive > Right-click ‘Format’ > Name it as Boombox > Choose File System: exFAT > Click ‘OK’
- Load your Favourite MP3 Sounds onto the USB drive – Having formatted the USB drive to the ExFAT format, you can now choose and upload the custom MP3 files you wish to play during your Tesla drives. Please note that there shouldn’t be any spaces in these MP3 file names.
- Connect the USB to your Tesla – Having loaded your chosen sounds onto your USB drive, you can now plug it into your Tesla.
- Navigate to the ToyBox Menu – Once inside your Tesla, access the Boombox menu and select your freshly uploaded MP3 sounds. (Note: All of these will appear as USBxyz…).
If you are still unsure about the process, here is a video guide for Mac OS or Windows users.
Can You Turn off the Backup Sound?
Tesla does give you the ability to turn the reversing sounds off temporarily. On the Model Y, for example, you can “Pause” the Pedestrian Warning System if necessary and when no other persons or moving vehicles are nearby.
To temporarily disable the backup and slow-speed movement sounds, navigate to Controls > Safety > Pedestrian Warning > Pause on the central touchscreen. Doing so will display a symbol on the central infotainment touchscreen.
Remember, this option only deactivates the sound for the duration of the current drive and will automatically re-engage during your next drive. Permanently deactivating the sound via software is not possible.
If you are considering disabling the backup sound on your Tesla, ensure you are in a completely safe and controlled environment. As these systems are legally mandated in electric vehicles, you may be held accountable if an incident happens while reversing.
The Tesla owner’s manual issues a stern warning regarding the deactivation of the Pedestrian Warning System:
“Use the Pause switch to silence the alarm only when absolutely necessary and when there are no other road users in the surrounding area. You must turn the Pedestrian Warning System back on immediately after the circumstances that required you to turn it off have passed.“
“If sound cannot be heard, pedestrians may not be aware of your oncoming vehicle, which may increase the likelihood of a collision resulting in serious injury or death. Never pause the Pedestrian Warning System in areas where pedestrians may be present.“
Why do Teslas Emit Noise When Backing Up?
The main reason Teslas produce sound while reversing is to alert nearby pedestrians and other road that the car is moving. Sure, driving a whisper-quiet electric vehicle feels out-of-this-world, but a silent car creeping up behind an unsuspecting pedestrian can be discomforting to the person walking, to say the least.
Most countries mandate these systems worldwide to reduce the risks of accidents associated with quiet EVs roaming around. While Teslas and EVs are not completely quiet, they emit significantly less sound than traditional cars, which can pose a danger to those with reduced sight or hearing.
Closing thoughts & wrap up
Most markets around the world have introduced laws that require all electric and hybrid cars to be equipped with sound-generating systems to alert pedestrians a car is approaching. The European Union has a guideline of recommendations called AVAS, while the United States introduced the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act.
We appreciate Tesla’s approach, deciding to enhance safety without losing the fun factor. The “UFO” sounds emanating from a Tesla’s Boombox speaker are delightfully futuristic, and we’re thrilled that Tesla allows these sounds to be customized to our liking.
