China-developed international standard for audio sensors enhances autonomous driving safety
A China-developed international standard for audio signal sensors for autonomous driving has recently been officially published, significantly enhancing the safety of autonomous driving. The standard fills a global gap in the field of audio signal sensor interfaces for autonomous driving and equips vehicles with standardised "ears", effectively improving driving safety in complex road conditions.
When a car not only sees but also hears, it becomes closer to human perception. A driver has always relied not only on sight — the sound of a siren around the corner, the noise of rain or the horn of a neighbouring car provides information that cannot be seen. Autonomous systems have so far been deprived of this channel. The new standard, developed by China, for the first time gives machines "hearing" — a universal language of sound signals that allows them to hear and understand the road just like a human. This is not just a technical specification but a step towards making autonomous driving truly safe and natural.
"Audio signals are a key element in the vehicle's perception of its surroundings. Audio sensors in the autonomous driving system function much like the driver's ears. They can detect audio signals, effectively giving the system 'hearing', which significantly enhances its ability to anticipate and respond to complex conditions. Therefore, establishing a scientific and unified audio interface standard is of great significance for accurately assessing and improving autonomous driving safety," said Chen Chen, Senior Engineer at the China National Institute of Automotive Standardisation.
The standard clearly relies on multiple types of audio algorithms to detect and identify all categories of acoustic signals, covering various sound sources, including sirens of special vehicles such as police cars, fire engines and ambulances; environmental road noise such as wind, rain and hail; external warning sounds such as horns from surrounding vehicles, collision signals and reversing warnings; sounds emitted by the vehicle itself, such as engine, brakes and horn; and sounds associated with other road users.
"Before the autonomous driving system identifies priority vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines and police cars through visual signals, it can use their sirens to preliminarily determine the direction and distance of the target sound source, thereby responding to these vehicles. For example, when a vehicle encounters an ambulance in autonomous driving mode, it can use a combination of acoustic and visual perception to give way to the ambulance," said Chen.
The release and implementation of the standard unifies the acoustic interface for autonomous driving, providing autonomous driving algorithms with standardised "sound" signals. This will accelerate the development of related products and ensure greater driving safety in complex scenarios.
China has been actively participating in the development of international standards for the automotive industry, particularly in the field of autonomous driving. The new standard on audio sensors is the result of years of research and cooperation with international partners. It covers not only the technical requirements for sensors but also sound processing algorithms, allowing vehicles from different manufacturers to "hear" the road in the same way. This is particularly important for the transition to fully autonomous transport systems, where every detail of perception matters for safety.
As CCTV+ reports, the new international standard on audio sensors has become an important step in the development of autonomous driving. It not only filled an existing gap but also set unified rules for manufacturers worldwide. In the coming years, we can expect to see vehicles that can not only see but also hear the road, making them even safer and more reliable.
