Object detection system providing driver information through sound

An object detection system for use in a vehicle to notify a human operator of the vehicle of an object remote from the vehicle, the object detection system comprising:

• a sensor arrangement for detecting an object remote from the vehicle, sensing a direction of the object with respect to the vehicle and generating a signal upon detecting the object;
• a processor for receiving the sensor arrangement signal, processing the sensor arrangement signal and transmitting a processed sensor arrangement signal;
• and
• at least two speakers disposed inside the vehicle and physically separated for communicating with said processor to receive the processed sensor arrangement signal and audibly transmitting the processed sensor arrangement signal by transmitting sound in a manner that provides audible cues for the human operator as to the direction of the object.

A method of detecting an object remote from a vehicle comprising:

• (A) detecting an object remote from a vehicle;
• (B) determining information relating to the object;
• (C) determining whether the information relating to the object meets certain criteria;
• (D) transmitting sound over multiple audio channels to audibly convey the object information through an audio system in the vehicle when certain criteria are met;
• and
• (E) modulating the sound outputted to give the driver directional cues for the position of the object.