*Drivers of Mazda’s new CX-6e can make their electric SUV curse at people on the street. Journalists in Australia found the vehicle’s exterior speaker will broadcast almost any message, no matter how crude.
The team at News.com.au put the system to the test after the SUV launched Down Under. They got it to hurl insults at other motorists, spout swear words and replay a driver’s tirade for everyone outside to hear.
One sample line showed how far it would go: “Get out of the way, you blithering slug!”
A clip of the speaker in action appears on Instagram – watch below.
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The SUV’s speaker system has no filters, allowing drivers to broadcast whatever they choose. Owners can type messages using a keyboard, and the vehicle reads them aloud to anyone nearby. A live voice feature also lets drivers speak directly through the external speaker without restrictions.
The system’s primary purpose is to alert pedestrians and cyclists to the SUV’s presence. Drivers can select from several prerecorded messages, including “Please look up from your phone,” aimed at distracted pedestrians. Another message, “You go ahead,” allows drivers to signal that they’re yielding to another vehicle.
The feature builds on a long-running safety concern with electric cars. EVs make so little noise that people may not realize one is moving behind them. Most automakers now give their vehicles an audible alert when they shift into reverse.
Car and Driver reports that engineers in China wanted the CX-6e to go beyond those basic warnings. The China-built SUV now gives drivers a full voice outside the car.
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