Autobahn
by Nikita Diakur
Description
Autobahn is a highway of simulated vehicles operating autonomously. With no predetermined choreography or scripted events, the work generates its own behavior through programmed rules – shaped by driving personalities, agent and audience interactions and physics.
World Premiere
Gallery Solo Contemporary Madrid
Studiokamp
Interactive/realtime engine and car sound effects, multichannel site specific audio mix.
Sound Process
To cover the full range of 200+ unique 3D vehicle models Nikita and team created for Autobahn, I built 57 virtual audio engines across 8 vehicle categroies from small cars, vans and sports cars to semi trucks and busses. Each engine responds in realtime to parameters from the vehicle controller simulation, recreating the sounds the engine reacting to load, RPM, braking and gear changes. All 57 engine models are based on real multimic recordings of the vehicles listed below. Each vehicle also has suspension and road surface sounds matched to its category, plus a unique horn. These sounds are physics-driven as well: The wind sound of a moving car and the road surface tire sounds react to vehicle speed, a slipping wheel triggers a squeak etc.
Vehicle sound simulations:
Credits:
Autobahn
Nikita Diakur (@nikitadiakur)
Unity3D Code and Tooling:
Xanto (xantomen.com)
Sound
David Kamp (studiokamp.com)
3D assets
Nikita Diakur, Milo Clément Philipp (instagram @milo_clement_philipp), Gerhard Funk
Ugly Fiat Multipla, physical model
CALIPER (calip-er.com)
Car horn – screen interaction
Gerhard Funk
Curation
Onkaos (onkaos.com) – Elena Carbajal
Exhibition production and design
María Castillo, Alessandra Gargiulo