I keep thinking about the future soundscape of cities.

What happens when the streets are filled with quiet machines? Will we hear more birds? More conversation? Or just a new kind of noise?

There’s also a cultural shift. Loud used to mean power. But now, silence signals advancement.

An EV slipping through the city almost invisibly is a design statement: modern, responsible, maybe even a little eerie.

Some of the most interesting work is happening in sound design studios, where crafters of tones signal motion without being annoying, repetitive, or too synthetic. www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...

It’s like the UI sound for a 4,000-pound computer on wheels.

There’s a UX angle too. Automakers now design artificial driving sounds, both inside and outside the car. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii0j...

Inside: it helps drivers “feel” what the car is doing.
Outside: it warns pedestrians the car is moving.

It’s a new kind of brand language.

In architecture, we talk about acoustics as part of spatial experience. The same applies here.

A car’s sound—or lack of it—changes how we perceive speed, effort, and even luxury. A quiet cabin is calming. But total silence can also feel disconnected.

What do you replace that with?

Some brands mimic traditional engine sounds—others invent new sonic identities. The tone of a Porsche Taycan accelerating sounds like something between a sci-fi turbine and a camera shutter. youtu.be/K7MBoCGjmjI?...

It’s subtle, but it feels fast.

With no engine rumble, EVs remove a huge layer of feedback we’ve always associated with movement. Acceleration, deceleration, even idle—all those cues go silent.

But sound wasn’t just noise. It helped define character, presence, and even safety.

I honestly thought these were jello formed in emptied peels

The wheel sets mean you can make magnatile cars/trucks/towers that roll around—adding another level of fun and precariousness to the build.

The other game changer is the powered brio locomotives, allows for a lot more play as the trains cruise around the track themselves.

You have to click on the meter for it to show the rating. In your screenshot you haven’t clicked on it. It is rated fair/middle when you click. Bad design to show it as extremely left leaning as default before click.

Even if it’s freezing, raining, or snowing (hello from MA), enjoying morning light through your windows still stimulates your body. Exposure to sunlight early in the morning tells your body to start producing melatonin earlier in the evening, which helps you fall asleep faster.

Another morning energy booster is exercise. If you can get outside and exercise in the morning, you’ll boost your energy and achieve early morning sunlight exposure, which will help to set your circadian clock.

Even if caffeine in the afternoon doesn’t keep you awake, your sleep will be better without it. Avoid caffeine 3-4 hours before bed - you’ll achieve deeper, more restful sleep.

Try to find a routine that gets you away from screens before bed. I know I find this hard to do, so the other side of this challenge is to make sure you get sunlight exposure early in the day for at least an hour or two.

Aim for a pitch-black bedroom - Artificial light can activate your internal clock and make your brain think that it’s daytime.