Acoustic awareness for autonomous cars

Motorists need to be physically and mentally fit to drive safely, and this includes having strong vision and hearing. For instance, drivers need good eyesight to be able to spot trouble and judge distances. Luckily, cars are becoming ‘smarter’. Today’s vehicles are benefitting from advancements made in computers and are being equipped with devices such as proximity sensors designed to alert the driver of obstacles while parking. The EU-funded I-SPOT project is taking this one step further, targeting the addition of acoustic sensing technology to cars. Its aim is to enable sensing, localisation and analysis of environmental audio signals during active (drive) and passive (park) car mode.