Start Date
12-12-2022 5:15 AM
Description
Self-driving (autonomous) cars can drive people anywhere without a need to touch the gas pedal. How do we make these cars safe enough for consumers? One safety concern of self-driving cars is that the driver can relax while the car performs all of the necessary functions. However, the car can request to be overridden (the driver taking control of the car). Manual override will occur if the car is malfunctioning or if there is a danger/hazard nearby. If the driver is not paying attention, this could lead to danger on the road. To solve this problem, I have proposed a new implementation for autonomous cars using spatial audio. Spatial audio gives sound a 3D effect, orienting the noise in one place and giving audio a direction. I will test manual override in autonomous cars using spatial audio through earbuds. I will use the driving simulator at LMU and have participants perform certain tasks with earbuds in. Then, I will send them an alert and time how long it takes them to take control of the car. I expect that these times will decrease compared to previous research, creating a smoother transfer between the car and the human.
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How Spatial Audio can Improve the Safety of Self-Driving Cars
Self-driving (autonomous) cars can drive people anywhere without a need to touch the gas pedal. How do we make these cars safe enough for consumers? One safety concern of self-driving cars is that the driver can relax while the car performs all of the necessary functions. However, the car can request to be overridden (the driver taking control of the car). Manual override will occur if the car is malfunctioning or if there is a danger/hazard nearby. If the driver is not paying attention, this could lead to danger on the road. To solve this problem, I have proposed a new implementation for autonomous cars using spatial audio. Spatial audio gives sound a 3D effect, orienting the noise in one place and giving audio a direction. I will test manual override in autonomous cars using spatial audio through earbuds. I will use the driving simulator at LMU and have participants perform certain tasks with earbuds in. Then, I will send them an alert and time how long it takes them to take control of the car. I expect that these times will decrease compared to previous research, creating a smoother transfer between the car and the human.
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Mentor: Dr. John Dionisio