Autonomous vehicles have a lot of high-tech systems to see “see” what’s around them on the roads.
What if these cars also need to be listening to what’s around them?
There’s a project putting that idea to the test, and it’s called the Hearing Car.
This work, out of the Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology in Germany, brings self-driving cars a little more in line with human drivers, most of whom use their hearing along with their sight to monitor what’s happening as they drive.
The example the researchers use is an ambulance.
You might hear the siren before you spot the emergency vehicle’s flashing lights, so the Hearing Car has external microphones that listen for sirens.
Then it uses artificial intelligence to cross-reference the sounds the car’s “hearing” in the environment with what its cameras are “seeing.”
The researchers think the system could also alert a driver to a flat tire earlier than usual, because the microphones could pick up the sound of a nail as it hits the pavement over and over.
And drivers could use the mics to activate features on their vehicle, like opening the trunk with a voice command.
This research has been underway for more than a decade, but it’s not the kind of work that moves at autobahn speeds.
Along with figuring out how to get a neural network to analyze audio and video data in real time, the team had to find answers to basic questions like: how do you keep microphones from shorting out in the rain or freezing in winter?
And where will microphones best pick up ambient sounds without being drowned out by engine or road noise?
(The answer: the rear of the car, that’s where the wind noise is at its lowest.)
There’s a lot of work going on in the world of autonomous vehicles, so the Hearing Car isn’t getting the most attention.
But experts do say they see the value in a multisensory approach.
That said, there may be limits.
As one researcher told IEEE Spectrum, a hearing car is one thing, but “smell might be a step too far.”
Today in Oklahoma, it’s the Watonga Cheese & Wine Festival.
This was a town once known for its signature cheese produced in an enormous cheese factory, so you can expect a lot of food and drink pairings.
You’ll also find live music, art, quilt and fiber arts shows, plus the 5K, 10K and 1-mile runs they call the Rat Races.
“Hearing Car” Detects Sounds for Safer Driving AI and microphones are helping vehicles detect unseen hazards (IEEE Spectrum)
Watonga Cheese Festival (TravelOK)
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