Video: Popular racing game to include assistance for vision impaired

The makers behind the Forza car-racing video game series have announced a new feature to assist those with vision impairments to participate in the next instalment of the series.

Named 'Blind Driving Assists', the feature provides pace notes, as well as audible cues about corners, track position, speed, braking, and other information to help those with a vision disability drive around a virtual race track.

Blind accessibility advocate and gamer Brandon Cole was a consultant on the project, and showed how the technology works in a YouTube video.

"Welcome to Forza, blind community," he says during the demonstration.

"My encouragement to the blind community is to give yourself time – you can learn the tracks based on the cues we have here, it really does work."

While Mr Cole is shown driving a Ford Focus around Japan's Suzuka circuit using an Xbox controller, the use of a gaming steering wheel and pedal could provide another level involving and realistic interaction for blind or low-vision players.

Microsoft says Forza Motorsport 7 will arrive in the third quarter of 2023.