Echo Accessible Rides for DHH Users and Beyond

Problem 

In our project, we recognize that approximately 30% of Americans live with a disability, including 15% of adults who experience some level of hearing loss. This includes around 37.5 million individuals, 6% of whom are severely hearing-impaired or completely deaf.

Insights 

To better understand what a DHH rider might experience, we took a Waymo ride while wearing high-grade earplugs and noise-canceling headphones. It quickly became clear how easy it was to miss updates about the route or even realize we had arrived. That disconnect helped us pinpoint when and where visual or haptic cues were most needed.

Solution 

Echo reimagines the autonomous ride experience with accessibility at its core. Designed especially with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) riders in mind, it layers visual cues, haptic feedback, and flexible communication to help every rider feel confident and in control.