Everyone is very concerned about pedestrians getting run over by silent, electric cars.
Today’s invention addresses another such problem of the future.
Drivers in general are increasingly insulated from their environment. Hearing other traffic noises and the sounds made by one’s own vehicle is essential to safe driving, and yet we can’t even open a window because of the volume of sound and the unpleasantness of the pollution.
I propose therefore to fit cars (including the quieter electric cars to come) with a set of microphones.
Some would be directed to listen to the sounds of nearby vehicles (especially over the driver’s shoulder). Others would provide realtime information about the sounds being made by the engine, gearbox, tyres and suspension.
All of these noises could be moderated electronically so that the cacophony was limited in the otherwise quiet interior.
These sounds would be played into the interior via directionally situated speakers -So that the sound of a car driving too close in a blindspot could be located and boosted in order to make the driver more aware of the potential danger.
