TV series "Whale" (2023, directed by Jonathan Engelsman) has become one of the most discussed science fiction novels of recent times - not so much because of the plot, but because of the unusual technical plot. The main character, a marine biologist, discovers that his experimental electric car Volvo EX90 (modified prototype with neural network DeepMind WhaleNet) capable reproduce and interpret the sounds of sperm whales. It sounds like science fiction, but how realistic is it from the point of view of modern auto electronics and bioacoustics?

In this article we will look at:

  • 🔋 How the car's communication system with whales works in the series — analysis “under the hood” (spoilers are minimal!).
  • 🐋 Real prototypes: whether there are cars with similar AI systems and where they are used.
  • 🔧 Technical limitations: why such functionality is not possible in production cars (yet).
  • ⚡ Legal nuances: Is it possible to legally modify a car for bioacoustic experiments.

If you are a car owner interested in auto electrics and neural networks, or just like to analyze film technologies for realism - this material is for you. We won't retell the plot, but we'll go deeper into unique details of the implementation of AI in a car, which are shown reliably in the series (and where the authors lied).

📊 Do you believe that machines will one day be able to communicate with animals?
Yes, it's a matter of time
Only in fiction
There are already prototypes
I'm not interested in this

1. Technical basis: how in the series the car “talks” to whales

B "Kite" car uses three key components for communication:

  1. Hydroacoustic sensors (installed on the bottom and bumpers) - pick up ultrasonic signals of whales in the range 10–120 kHz.
  2. Neural network WhaleNet (developed based on Google DeepMind) - analyzes sound patterns and generates responses.
  3. Speakers with ultrasonic modulator — reproduce signals that whales understand.

The series mentions an important nuance: a car is not just copies the sounds of whales and interprets their context (for example, recognizes a “hazard warning” or “call to play”). This requires the AI to understand whale language syntax - a problem that real scientists have been working on since the 2010s (project CETI from Harvard).

However there is critical inaccuracy: In the series, the AI learns on the fly, processing terabytes of data in real time. In practice, even supercomputers (like Frontier from AMD) spend weeks for the analysis of bioacoustic recordings. Automotive processor (even if NVIDIA DRIVE Orin) will not cope with this.

⚠️ Attention: In the series, the car connects to the whales through Bluetooth 5.2 - this is artistic license. Real whales communicate on frequencies 10–30 kHz, which are not supported by standard auto radio modules. For this you need a specialized hydrophone (price from 15 000 ₽).
How does the machine get the energy to run the AI?

It is not specified in the series, but it is logical to assume that a combined system is used: the main battery Volvo EX90 (111 kWh) + solar panels on the roof (as in the prototype Lightyear One). However, this is not enough for the neural network to fully operate—an external source will be required (for example, charging from a coastal station).

2. Real prototypes: machines that “understand” animals

Although there are no production cars with the function of communicating with whales, there are several projects where car electronics interact with living organisms:

Project Technology Application Status (2026)
Tesla Biometric Mode Cameras + AI to recognize passengers' emotions Adapting climate control to suit your mood In development (announced 2023)
BMW Natural Interaction Voice assistant with intonation analysis Controlling the car with gestures and voice Available in i7 (from 2022)
Ford Dog Mode CO₂ and temperature sensors + cameras Monitoring the condition of animals in the salon Serial (since 2019)
CETI Project (Harvard) AI to decipher the language of sperm whales Scientific research Testing (2020–2026)

The project comes closest to the series CETI, where scientists train AI to recognize the “dialects” of sperm whales. However, their system runs on supercomputers, not cars. B Volvo and Mercedes experimenting with biometric sensors, but they target people, not animals.

Fun fact: in 2021 Hyundai patented the system V2A (Vehicle-to-Animal), which should warn drivers about wild animals on the road using AI analysis of their behavior. So far this is only a patent, but the technology is closer to reality than communication with whales.

💡

If you want to modify your machine for bioacoustic experiments, start with a hydrophone Aquarian Scientific AS-1 (price ~25 000 ₽). It can be connected to the on-board computer via USB-C and analyze sounds using software Audacity or Raven Pro.

3. Why is this technology impossible in production cars (yet)

Even if we put aside the fantasy elements of the series, there is 5 key barriers, preventing the creation of a machine that communicates with whales:

  • 🔌 Energy consumption: A neural network for processing bioacoustics requires ~5 kW energy is half the charging power of Tesla Supercharger. The battery will be discharged in 2 hours.
  • 📡 Frequency range: Car speakers play 20–20,000 Hz, and whales communicate in 10–120 kHz. Ultrasonic emitters are needed (as in medical scanners).
  • 🧠 Lack of data: To train AI, you need an array of recordings of whale “conversations”. Now scientists have only ~100 TB such data (project CETI), this is not enough.
  • 🚗 Legal restrictions: In most countries, modification of a car for scientific experiments requires permission Ministry of Transport and Rosprirodnadzor.
  • 💰 Cost: A complex of sensors + AI will cost ~10 million rubles - more expensive than the car itself.

Another problem - ethics. In the series the car makes decisions independently (for example, changes route to “talk” to the whale). In reality, level autopilot L4 (as in Waymo) has no right to ignore the driver’s commands - this violates Geneva Convention on Road Traffic.

⚠️ Attention: If you try to repeat the experiment from the series with a real car, be aware: ultrasonic waves are higher 25 kHz may cause headaches for passengers and damage the electronics (for example, the parking sensor will trigger as a false alarm).

Ultrasonic hydrophone (10–120 kHz)|On-board computer with AI (NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin)|Power supply (≥5 kW)|Audio analysis software (Python + TensorFlow)|Permission to experiment with wild animals-->

In Russia and the EU, any modifications to the car that affect electronics or security systems, are subject to mandatory certification. In the case of a bioacoustic system, you will need:

  1. Get permission to traffic police to change the design (Decree No. 726 of 2019).
  2. Check in Rosprirodnadzor, if the experiments involve wild animals (Federal Law “On Environmental Protection”, Article 60).
  3. Register the AI system with Roskomnadzor as a processor of personal data (if whale sounds are recorded, this is considered biometric information).

In the series, the hero gets around these restrictions by citing "scientific purposes." In reality, this will not work: for example, in the USA for illegal interference in the whale ecosystem (protected by law Marine Mammal Protection Act) faces a fine of up to $100 000.

An interesting precedent: in 2022 the company Neuralink (Elona Musk) tried to test her chips on dolphins, but was refused NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Similar problems will arise with automotive AI.

💡

Any car modifications that affect safety or the environment must be certified. Bioacoustic experiments with whales require permission from at least three departments: the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, Rosprirodnadzor and Roskomnadzor.

5. How the series “The Whale” influenced real developments in auto electronics

Despite the fantastic nature of the plot, "Whale" provoked a wave of interest in bio-interactive cars. For example:

  • 🐬 Mercedes-Benz announced a study on the integration of sensors to detect dolphins in water areas (project Blue Zero, 2026).
  • 🚗 Toyota patented the system Animal Voice Assistant, which should recognize the barking of dogs and the meowing of cats in the cabin.
  • 🔊 Startup Whale Hello (USA) is developing a portable translator for whales - a device the size of a smartphone that can be connected to a car audio system.

Experts note that the main merit of the series is popularization of the idea of symbiosis of auto electronics and biotechnology. However, practical implementation is still far away: for example, in Volvo stated that such functions will appear no earlier 2035.

In Russia, similar developments are underway in Skolkovo (project BioCar), but they are focused on passenger health monitoring, and not on communicating with animals. However, after the release of the series, interest in the topic increased by 300% (data Yandex.Trends).

6. Is it possible to repeat the experiment from the series on your own car?

Theoretically, yes, but with serious reservations. Here minimum set to start:

Component Model/brand Price (2026) Difficulty of installation
Hydrophone Aquarian Scientific AS-1 25 000 ₽ Medium (needs to be attached to the bottom)
Ultrasonic emitter Massimo US-100 18 000 ₽ High (soldering iron required)
On-board computer Raspberry Pi 5 + Coral TPU 15 000 ₽ Low (connected via USB)
Software Raven Pro + Python 5,000 ₽/month High (programming skills required)

However, even with this set you can only record and analyze whale sounds, but don't "talk" to them. For a full dialogue you need a supercomputer (as in the project CETI) and years of AI training.

⚠️ Attention: If you decide to install ultrasonic sensors on your machine, make sure that they do not interfere with the operation of standard systems (for example, parking sensors or 360° cameras). Otherwise an error will occur P0571 (brake system malfunction), and the car will go into emergency mode.
💡

For tests, use recorded sounds of whales (can be downloaded from the website NOAA or CETI). It is safer than experimenting with live animals and does not require permits.

7. Alternatives: how auto electronics are already interacting with nature

Although machines that talk to whales are still a fantasy, there are real technologies where car electronics help protect animals:

  • 🦌 Road Animal Detection Systems (for example, Volvo Animal Detection) - use infrared cameras to prevent accidents with moose and deer.
  • 🐦 "Quiet mode" for electric vehicles - in EU From 2021, audible signals for pedestrians are mandatory, but some manufacturers (e.g. BMW) are testing modes that do not scare birds.
  • 🌊 Eco-friendly body coatings — Tesla uses paint BioPaint, which is not toxic to marine organisms (important for coastal regions).

Similar developments are underway in Russia KAMAZ — their trucks for the Arctic are equipped with sensors that recognize polar bears on the road and automatically brake. This is not exactly “communication”, but a step towards the symbiosis of machines and wildlife.

If you are interested in the topic auto electronics for ecology, pay attention to the projects:

  • GreenWave (AI for real-time monitoring of CO₂ emissions).
  • EcoDrive from Renault - a system that suggests the “greenest” route.
🔍 Is it possible to buy a car that communicates with whales?

No, such serial models do not exist. The closest thing is experimental prototypes from CETI Project (Harvard), but they are not intended for commercial use. The series shows Volvo EX90, but in reality this model does not have bioacoustic functions.

💡 What real technologies are at the heart of the series?

B "Kite" used:

  • Hydroacoustic sensors (similar to those used in underwater drones).
  • Neural network for sound analysis (similar to Google DeepMind, but adapted for bioacoustics).
  • Ultrasonic emitters (as in medical ultrasound machines).

However, their combination in one car is not yet possible due to power and legal restrictions.

⚠️ Is it legal to modify a car to communicate with animals?

No, without special permissions this breaks:

  • Car certification rules (in Russia - Technical Regulations of the Customs Union 018/2011).
  • Wildlife protection laws (e.g. Federal Law “On the Animal World”).
  • Electromagnetic compatibility standards (if ultrasound interferes with other devices).

Legal experiments require approval from Rosprirodnadzor and traffic police.

🛠️ Is it possible to assemble a system for recording whale sounds yourself?

Yes, for this you will need:

  1. Hydrophone (Aquarian Scientific AS-1 or similar).
  2. Signal booster (eg Zoom F3).
  3. Laptop with audio analysis software (Audacity, Raven Pro).

However, to work with live whales you need permission (in Russia - through Ministry of Natural Resources). Recording sounds in nature without approval is prohibited.

🚗 Which cars are closest to the technology from the series?

There are no cars with the function of communicating with whales yet, but there are models with advanced bio-interactivity:

  • Mercedes-Benz EQS — recognizes the driver’s emotions by voice.
  • BMW i7 — adapts climate control to the biorhythms of passengers.
  • Tesla Model S - in mode Dog Mode monitors the condition of animals in the salon.

Closer to the series - project CETI, but it is not related to cars.