Navigating Robot Sonification: Exploring Four Approaches to Sonification in Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous cars are rapidly growing in popularity and may be among the first robots to be fully integrated into society. Because of this, deep consideration of how we interact with them is crucial. Sound has played a significant role in enhancing the driving experience and improving safety through features such as safety alerts and lane crossing notifications. In this chapter, we explore the concept of sonification in the context of autonomous cars, examining its benefits, challenges, and future directions. We present four different approaches to sonification, showcasing the potential for conveying data and driving information to passengers. These approaches collectively demonstrate the potential for sonification in robotic systems and how data taken from them can be used to create compelling auditory feedback.