New approach to autonomous driving: Volvo uses sounds and lights to communicate with pedestrians
2020-12-30
New twist in autonomous driving: Volvo uses sounds and lights to communicate with pedestrians
According to foreign media reports, recently, automobile manufacturers Volvo Volvo Cars stated that, to enhance road safety, future self-driving cars may communicate with pedestrians and cyclists around them through human-like modes—such as intuitive sounds and flashing lights.
Volvo Cars stated that its design concept doesn’t rely solely on automotive technology to avoid obstacles—it also uses a variety of external sounds, lights, and even subtle movements to alert people nearby. Currently, Volvo is developing this system for its 360c autonomous driving concept car, introduced in 2018, which has become a platform for testing innovative technologies such as advanced safety communication systems.
Currently, logistics professionals are already familiar with similar safety tools available on existing platforms—such as the warning beep emitted when a truck is reversing, or the headlights of forklifts that flash to alert pedestrians walking in forklift traffic lanes within warehouses. However, Volvo’s planned signaling system will be different, responding specifically to objects detected by vehicle sensors and capable of communicating through a much broader vocabulary.
Mikael Ljung Aust, Senior Technical Director of Collision Avoidance Functions at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, stated: "What we truly aim to provide for self-driving cars is a type of body language that everyone can easily understand. In fact, we only need three to four distinct sounds to communicate to others what the vehicle intends to do. For instance, one sound could clearly inform drivers or pedestrians nearby about the car's planned actions—such as signaling, 'I don’t intend to move anymore.'" According to Volvo’s plans, these self-driving vehicles will use low-pitched, slowly oscillating pulses to indicate they’ve come to a complete stop. The company notes that humans naturally associate such pulses with significant events. In contrast, the 360c autonomous concept car will employ a gentle ticking sound whose frequency gradually increases or decreases—emphasizing acceleration or deceleration. To alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, Volvo is exploring nautical ultrasonic technology, which emits a "popping" sound audible only to those in close proximity, much like the sonar systems used by submarines.
Meanwhile, this concept car will also utilize lighting as a complement to its sound technology. The 360c features a light strip wrapped around both sides of the vehicle, emitting illumination to alert other road users that the car has detected them—enabling the vehicle’s safety system to account for these other road users accordingly.
Volvo stated that this research helps prepare the way for future self-driving cars to not only operate on pre-approved, safe highways but also to navigate safely on public streets shared with other road users.
Translated from Sina Auto
New approach to autonomous driving: Volvo uses sounds and lights to communicate with pedestrians
2020-12-30
New twist in autonomous driving: Volvo uses sounds and lights to communicate with pedestrians
According to foreign media reports, recently, automobile manufacturers Volvo Volvo Cars stated that, to enhance road safety, future self-driving cars may communicate with pedestrians and cyclists around them through human-like modes—such as intuitive sounds and flashing lights.
Volvo Cars stated that its design concept doesn’t rely solely on automotive technology to avoid obstacles—it also uses a variety of external sounds, lights, and even subtle movements to alert people nearby. Currently, Volvo is developing this system for its 360c autonomous driving concept car, introduced in 2018, which has become a platform for testing innovative technologies such as advanced safety communication systems.
Currently, logistics professionals are already familiar with similar safety tools available on existing platforms—such as the warning beep emitted when a truck is reversing, or the headlights of forklifts that flash to alert pedestrians walking in forklift traffic lanes within warehouses. However, Volvo’s planned signaling system will be different, responding specifically to objects detected by vehicle sensors and capable of communicating through a much broader vocabulary.
Mikael Ljung Aust, Senior Technical Director of Collision Avoidance Functions at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, stated: "What we truly aim to provide for self-driving cars is a type of body language that everyone can easily understand. In fact, we only need three to four distinct sounds to communicate to others what the vehicle intends to do. For instance, one sound could clearly inform drivers or pedestrians nearby about the car's planned actions—such as signaling, 'I don’t intend to move anymore.'" According to Volvo’s plans, these self-driving vehicles will use low-pitched, slowly oscillating pulses to indicate they’ve come to a complete stop. The company notes that humans naturally associate such pulses with significant events. In contrast, the 360c autonomous concept car will employ a gentle ticking sound whose frequency gradually increases or decreases—emphasizing acceleration or deceleration. To alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, Volvo is exploring nautical ultrasonic technology, which emits a "popping" sound audible only to those in close proximity, much like the sonar systems used by submarines.
Meanwhile, this concept car will also utilize lighting as a complement to its sound technology. The 360c features a light strip wrapped around both sides of the vehicle, emitting illumination to alert other road users that the car has detected them—enabling the vehicle’s safety system to account for these other road users accordingly.
Volvo stated that this research helps prepare the way for future self-driving cars to not only operate on pre-approved, safe highways but also to navigate safely on public streets shared with other road users.
Translated from Sina Auto
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