XENSIV™ MEMS microphones (IM67D130A) from Infineon and Cerence Emergency Vehicle Detection (EVD) software. This will enable vehicles to actively detect approaching emergency vehicles, especially when they are not in sight.
The emergency siren detection system provides a complementary detection modality for autonomous vehicles and enhances their perception capabilities. The system combines an array of XENSIV MEMS microphones, strategically placed on the outside of the vehicle, with Cerence EVD.
The XENSIV MEMS microphone is qualified according to AEC-Q103-003 and features an extended operating temperature profile from -40°C to +105°C, enabling various use cases in harsh automotive environments. With a total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 0.5 percent at a sound pressure level (SPL) of 94 dB and a high acoustic overload point (AOP) of 130 dBSPL, the microphone can capture distortion-free audio signals in noisy environments. This allows signals to be reliably classified even when background noise obstructs the siren tone.
Cerence EVD can be integrated into the automotive assistant or on separate controllers, it uses the microphones to accurately and reliably detect the sound of sirens. In addition, Cerence EVD can estimate the sound source location from emergency sirens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Once a siren is identified, the driver – or, in autonomous vehicles, the automated driving assistant – is informed to react accordingly. Human drivers can be notified in a multi-modal way e.g., volume of the radio or other media is reduced, a visual warning may appear on the screen of the head unit, and acoustic warning is given via the vehicle assistant.
