Brands are exploring creative applications of safety sound technology

Global – From installing safety sound capabilities in electric cars to detecting anomalies in heavy machinery, brands are exploring the potential of sound to keep people safe.

According to Forbes, sales of electric vehicles rose by 41% worldwide in 2016. As consumers become more interested in electric and hybrid cars, the lack of engine sound needed to communicate risk to pedestrians is a serious concern.

Digital studio Ustwo has envisaged what the future of electric and hybrid vehicles might sound like in a project that examines how different sounds can be used to communicate different levels of risk and the impact of these sounds on the urban environment.

Mercedes-Benz is exploring the potential of in-car sound to protect drivers and passengers with its Pre-safe Sound feature, which plays a burst of pink noise in the split second before a car accident to protect the occupants’ hearing. ‘For us this is a major paradigm shift,’ says Rodolfo Schöneburg, head of vehicle safety, durability and corrosion protection at Mercedes-Benz Cars. ‘It will pave the way for other new systems.’