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Only in Japan: A road that plays music

Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Vik is an Editor at High Gear Media and contributor for a number of sites within the High Gear Media network. He was a co-founder of... More

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1 2,601 views November 13, 2007

Only in Japan: A road that plays music

This is the kind of development that only a country like Japan could envisage. It’s a stretch of road that plays a melody whenever a car drives along it. Small grooves built into the road surface, positioned between 6 and 12mm apart, emit an audible sound when a car passes over them. The size of the gap between each groove affects the pitch of the sound so it’s possible to make out an entire song as long as there’s enough road ahead.

For optimal results cars need to travel at just 28mph, which ensures that wind, engine and tire noise are at a minimum. There are currently three roads in Japan that feature the music grooves, located in Hokkaido, Wakayama and Gunma. If you’re still confused by the concept click ahead for a full video demonstration.