• Kia Europe conducted an AI-driven experiment that converted landscapes into music
• Two documentary films capture the reaction of two visually impaired passengers experiencing a road trip through sound
• The project demonstrates Kia’s commitment to making inspiration accessible to everyone

Kia Europe, in collaboration with marketing agency INNOCEAN Europe, developed Kia Soundscapes, an artistic experiment that translates landscapes into symphonic compositions. Through this project, visually impaired individuals were able to experience the beauty of road trips in a groundbreaking way.

The science behind the experiment
Research shows that music activates the visual cortex in blind individuals. This area of the brain is typically reserved for sight and perception. Inspired by this, Kia Soundscapes uses advanced AI technology to convert visual inputs from a car’s sensors and cameras into musical compositions. “At Kia, we believe movement inspires ideas, so we wanted to give visually impaired passengers the opportunity to experience the world differently,” commented David Hilbert, Marketing Director at Kia Europe. “With Kia Soundscapes, we are exploring how technology can tear down barriers and help us create a more inclusive and accessible world.”

From vision to sound
Filmed outside of Santiago, Chile, Kia captured images of the landscape using the car’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and paired the visual input, such as trees, mountains, and speed, with corresponding musical elements. AI then created a dynamic soundtrack that evolved with the changing scenery. For example, trees and shrubbery were translated into soft woodwind instruments, mountains were turned into deep, resonant tones, and vehicle speed changed the tempo and tone of the composition.

The experiment culminated in two short documentary films, premiering in April. On top of the documentaries, Kia plans to release the original compositions on its website. While Kia Soundscapes is an artistic experiment and not a commercial feature, it marks the company’s first use of AI in a project of this nature. Visit the dedicated landing page for more details.

Ends

About Kia Europe
Kia Europe is the European sales and manufacturing division of Kia Corporation – a global mobility brand that is creating innovative, pioneering, and leading sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities, and societies around the world. As a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider, Kia is spearheading the popularization of electrified and battery-electric vehicles and developing a growing range of mobility services, encouraging people around the world to explore the best ways of getting around.

Kia Europe, headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, employs in total over 5,500 employees from 40 nationalities in 39 markets across Europe and the Caucasus. It also oversees European production at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Zilina, Slovakia.
Kia’s innovative products continue to attract great acclaim, notably the EV6 battery electric vehicle becoming the first Korean car to be named European Car of the Year in 2022. Further information can be found here: www.press.kia.com

About Innocean
INNOCEAN, launched in 2005 as the marketing vanguard for Hyundai Motor Group, evolved rapidly into a true global marketing communications company, with almost 3,300 employees and a worldwide network consisting of 22 overseas operations. Its European network, with almost 400 employees from 30+ nationalities, builds bespoke international teams in proximity to clients across its offices in Frankfurt am Main (also serving as the regional HQ), London, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Moscow and Istanbul.

The agency has accelerated its expansion since the set-up of a European Creative Hub in Berlin. In 2018, it hired Gabriel Mattar and Ricardo Wolff as European COO and ECD respectively, to lead a tight-knit, award-winning international creative team based at the Hackescher Markt. Further information can be found here: www.innocean.eu | www.innoceanberlin.com

Kia UK PR contact details
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