MAKE: Blog: Driving down the musical highway

Driving down the musical highway

Next time you are driving down the road you might have to turn down the stereo in order to listen to the soundtrack. Some engineers at the Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute in Japan have developed "Melody Roads" that use cars as tuning forks to play music as they pass over them. The concept uses grooves that are cut into the cement at specific intervals in the road surface. Playing off the regular sounds you hear when driving over a speed bump, the grooves are cut in such a way that driving over them creates an audible note. Now, if we can just figure out how to hook up "Rock Band" to this?

Hokkaido Industrial Research Institute - Link, [via]

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Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Mikey Mouse on January 16, 2008 at 10:21 AM

at one time in Disneyworld the imagineers were testing a section of road that played 'zipadee doo dah' when you drove over the grooves...

I think it was back in the late 70's early 80's.

Posted by: samurai1200 on January 16, 2008 at 10:46 AM

only in japan!

Posted by: Waz on January 16, 2008 at 4:36 PM

Maybe someone could modulate "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" :o)

Posted by: user128 on January 17, 2008 at 2:42 PM

It seems that the 25mph limitation would make this ideal for residential areas where speeding is common. Unlike those annoying traffic humps, this rewards you for slowing down by playing a neat little tune.

Posted by: Cali on September 11, 2008 at 12:04 PM

We have a stretch of musical highway here in Lancaster, Ca. but without the giant painted music notes. It plays the Lone Ranger theme and was used in a Honda commercial. Oh and it works at 50mph :)

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