Spatial audio for wayfinding

A computing device, comprising:

• memory storing a set of sounds;
• and
• one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being configured to:
• estimate a current location of a user;
• identify an actual location of a vehicle;
• estimate a pose of the user based on dynamic detection of an orientation of the user's head;
• select a sound from the set of sounds in the memory;
• generate, based on the selected sound, a spatial audio signal, the spatial audio signal having a directional component according to a heading of the user and a heading of the vehicle, and the generation of the spatial audio signal includes dynamically adjusting the directional component of the spatial audio signal in response to detected changes in the estimated pose of the user;
• and
• provide the spatial audio signal for presentation to the user.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• identifying, by one or more processors of a vehicle, an actual location of the vehicle;
• estimating, by the one or more processors, a heading of the vehicle;
• detecting, by a perception system of the vehicle, a presence of an object in a vicinity of the vehicle;
• selecting, by the one or more processors, a sound based on detecting the presence of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle;
• generating, by the one or more processors, based on the selected sound, a spatial audio signal, the spatial audio signal having a directional component according to the heading of the vehicle, a relative position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle, and dynamic detection of an orientation of a rider's head, the generating includes dynamically adjusting the directional component of the spatial audio signal in response to detected changes in the dynamic detection of the orientation of the rider's head;
• and
• providing, by the one or more processors, the spatial audio signal for presentation to the rider within the vehicle.

A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous driving mode, the vehicle comprising:

• a perception system including one or more sensors, the one or more sensors being configured to receive sensor data associated with objects in an external environment of the vehicle and detect a presence of an object in a vicinity of the vehicle;
• a driving system including a steering subsystem, an acceleration subsystem and a deceleration subsystem to control driving of the vehicle;
• a positioning system configured to identify an actual location of the vehicle and estimate a heading of the vehicle;
• and
• a control system including one or more processors, the control system operatively coupled to the driving system, the perception system, and the positioning system, the control system configured to:
• based on detecting the presence of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle, select a sound
• generate, based on the selected sound, a spatial audio signal, the spatial audio signal having a directional component according to the actual location of the vehicle, a relative position of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle, the estimated heading of the vehicle, and dynamic detection of an orientation of a rider's head, and the generating includes dynamically adjust the directional component of the spatial audio signal in response to detected changes in the dynamic detection of the orientation of the rider's head and detected changes of the heading of the vehicle;
• and
• provide the spatial audio signal for presentation to the rider within the vehicle.