Kia helps the blind 'see' the road with sounds

Kia Europe has revealed an unusual experiment for the visually impaired. In collaboration with the Innocean agency, an AI-based interface, Kia Soundscapes, has been created that converts the scenery outside the car window into a dynamic soundtrack.

What's known

Kia Soundscapes is based on scientific research showing that in blind people musical stimuli can activate the visual cortex of the brain, the same area that in sighted people is responsible for processing visual information. The idea behind the project is to give blind passengers a new way of experiencing the journey, in which sound becomes what the view from the window is to others.

To turn the surrounding landscape into sound, the system analyses data from the car's ADAS sensors. Each element of nature - trees, mountains, bodies of water - receives a unique sound design developed in the studio. For example, trees and bushes are rendered with soft sounds of wind instruments, while mountains are rendered with deep and rich tones. The music also changes depending on the speed of the car - the faster the car is travelling, the more energetic the song becomes.

Kia invited two blind participants, Ann and Danny, to evaluate the system. They were driven around scenic routes in a Kia EV9 electric crossover while Soundscapes created a real-time soundscape of what was happening around them. Both participants said later that they were deeply moved by the new experience.

The project is not yet intended for commercial use. Kia has published several videos of the journeys and also posted the original songs created by the AI on a dedicated website.

Source: Kia