Honda’s Scenic Audio App Creates a New Experience for the Visually Impaired

Honda Developed Scenic Audio App
Aimed at Making Travel More Enjoyable for the Visually Impaired
by Providing Narrations of the Scenery

Japan’s Honda has launched an AI-based app so that visually impaired people can enjoy traveling together. The Scenic Audio AI web app explains the scenery for visually impaired passengers.

The Scenic Audio app uses computer vision and generative AI to describe your surroundings as you see them, with vivid descriptions of sounds and weather. The app’s beta version will be tested at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind to improve accessibility for all users.

Honda’s Scenic Audio App
Provides Narration Describing the Scenery

Honda has launched a new AI-based web app, providing an alternative way for visually impaired people to enjoy their driving trips without seeing the scenery directly. Scenic Audio, developed by Honda, is an app that creates audio descriptions of surrounding scenery and delivers vivid narration to users.

In other words, when driving along the coastline in Honda’s compact SUV CR-V with a blind or visually impaired person, the app describes the outside view in detail to the visually impaired passenger. It is significant because it is the first AI-based accessibility app to improve the travel environment for the visually impaired.

Not just a narration, Tone, and language adjustable

Developed in collaboration with the Howe Innovation Center at the Perkins School for the Blind, the app combines computer vision, satellite imagery, and generative AI with weather forecasting and scripting of the vehicle’s surroundings. This creates a narration. Honda says this allows the Scenic Audio app to go beyond introductory narration that describes the scenery, adjusting tone and language and accurately describing height, terrain, temperature, etc.

“The Honda Scenic Audio app can open the imagination of passengers who are blind or visually impaired by creating detailed narratives of the views while driving through scenic destinations, and it could help improve the enjoyment of travel,” said Phil Hruska, Honda’s senior marketing manager.

By engaging the disability community in designing the Scenic Audio app, we will help create a world that works for everyone,” said Sandy Lacey, Executive Director of the Disability Community at the Howe Innovation Center. She added we are pleased to collaborate on the Honda Scenic Audio development project and applaud Honda’s leadership in creating an inclusive automotive experience.“

The Scenic Audio app is beta testing with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, which has worked with Honda for 30 years. Feedback submitted by visually impaired community members will be incorporated into the Scenic Audio app to help provide better technology for those who will use the app in the future.