Uncrewed Systems Technology 047 l Aergility ATLIS l AI focus l Clevon 1 UGV l Geospatial insight l Intergeo 2022 report l AUSA 2022 report I Infinity fuel cell l BeeX A.IKANBILIS l Propellers focus I Phoenix Wings Orca

As autonomous vehicles become a reality, emergency vehicle detection will be critical to providing drivers with information in those emergencies 12 Microphones from Infineon Technologies are being used to detect the sirens of emergency vehicles to ensure that autonomous cars move out of their way (writes Nick Flaherty). Many countries are introducing regulations that require drivers to give way to emergency vehicles. As more autonomous cars are deployed, regulations are likely to include a provision for detecting and responding to emergency vehicles and meet safety requirements. This will require a combination of audible and visual warning signals. The system, developed by Cerence, uses MEMS microphones with its Emergency Vehicle Detection (EVD) software to actively detect approaching emergency vehicles, especially when they are not in sight. The system combines an array of the IM67D130A XENSIV MEMS microphones, strategically placed on the outside of the vehicle, with the Cerence EVD. With a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.5% at a sound pressure level of 94 dB and a high acoustic overload point of 130 dBSPL, the microphones can capture distortion-free audio signals in noisy environments. That 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 microcontrollers. It can also estimate the source of the sound from sirens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Once a siren is identified, the driving assistant is told to take the appropriate action, whether to pull over or continue to a safe space. “As autonomous vehicles quickly become a reality, emergency vehicle detection will be critical to providing drivers with the information they need in emergency situations,” said Christophe Couvreur, senior vice-president general manager, core products, at Cerence. “By partnering with Infineon, we are providing OEMs with an integrated hardware- and software-based emergency vehicle detection system.” A development kit helps developers to quickly evaluate the MEMS microphones and test different placement configurations on the vehicle to get the best results. Listening out for sirens Driverless cars The Cerence system enables driverless cars to give way to emergency vehicles December/January 2023 | Uncrewed Systems Technology