Road Tales transforms 130.000 kilometers of car rides into magical tales using the power of audio technology. Volkswagen partnered with the Dutch Books Authority to develop 4 location-based audio books that change with every car ride. Each story is unique, as road objects like windmills, bridges and lakes become story elements.

Parents can simply connect their phone to the car radio and select one of the location-based stories. From there, they can put the phone away and the interactive journey begins. The main goal of the app is to make children curious about looking outside again as they ride in the car, but also to give parents a good alternative for the use of screens.

We worked with famous kids books writers and specialised sound designers to create immersive stories that would change every ride.

Research shows that 7 out of 10 kids are handed screens during long rides.

To create a solution that worked for everyone, we mapped 8042 objects along ALL highways in the Netherlands, totalling 5000km of highway.

This is a translation of the original script.

The stories are interactive so they will be different each time. This is the story you’ll hear if you pass a COUNTRYFIELD > TOWER > BRIDGE > TUNNEL.

–– INTRO

Once upon a time.

In a car like this. Lived Turbo Gerrit the fruit fly.

He was born in the trash bin next to the glove compartment.

Between the empty candy wrappers and a brown banana peel.

He was comfortable in the car.

It was warm and cosy. And the radio played not too loud.

But still, Turbo Gerrit, even though he was small.

Wanted to become more than just a fruit fly in this car.

So one evening, when he couldn’t sleep, and looked up through the window at the moon. He fantasised how it would be to live not here, but out there on the moon.

And as he was looking he thought, hey, that moon looks a lot like a banana!

So one day, Gerrit packed his suitcase, put on his teeny weeny red helmet, and flew outside.

[SFX: fly buzzing. Pok.]

Ouch!

TG: Hey, can SOMEONE in the front open up the window so we can start this story?

[moment of silence]

TG: That’s great. Thank you very much.

[narrator scrapes his throat]

Turbo Gerrit flies out of the open window. And his journey to the moon begins…

[intermezzo]

–– COUNTRYFIELD / SEAGULL

Narrator: Turbo Gerrit is just on his way when he runs into a seagull flying over the country field on your left.

TG: Heey Bird, can I stop you for a moment?

Do you know the fastest way to the moon?

Seagull:

To the MOON?? Haha, what a joke.

With those tiny wings on you!

Look. It’s great you’re confident and all.

But flying to the moon.

You better put that out of your head.

TG: What a stupid seagull.

Narrator: Turbo Gerrit thought.

TG: How far could the moon actually be…

I could easily see it from my window yesterday.

TG:

It seems like Seagulls, can’t really help me out... Let’s go find something else that will get me there. Hmmmm. Let’s see. Will you help me? Let’s look around to see if we can find something ok?

[intermezzo]

–– TOWER

TG:

Hmmm. What if I could SHOOT myself top?

Like a human cannonball, but smaller.

But where do I find something like that?

Let’s see….

HEY! That tall thing on your right!

That looks a lot like a canon!

That’s what I will use!

Moon! I’m coming! I can already smell you.

Narrator: Next to the canon Turbo gerrit sees a fat pirate so he flies over and asks:

TG::

Hey Pirate. Could I quickly get in you cannon?

So I can shoot myself up, straight to the moon!

Pirate:

What!!?

TG::

Could I…?

Pirate:

WHAT!?

TG:

If I could… just a moment….

Pirate:

SORRY!!! I CAN’T HEAR WHAT YOU SAY

I HAVE SHOT MY CANON SO MUCH

THAT’S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR EARS

AND THIS CANON DOESN’T WORK ANYMORE ANYWAY

THIS RAINY DUTCH WEATHER MADE THE GUNPOWDER ALL WET

TG:

Oh, but can’t I simply…

Pirate:

WHAT!?

Turbo Gerrit: Oh, ehh, never mind.

–– BRIDGE

Narrator:

Hey, do you see that? What’s that big thing in front of us?

TG:

Oooh no! I know this bridge!

That’s the house of a very scary musquito!

Quick! Heads down!

[moment of silence]

TG:

False alarm. Come back up.

It’s another bridge. I think… Sorry!

–– TUNNEL

Narrator:

Look! Straight ahead!

Do you see that tunnel?

TG:

That looks like a launching tube!

Let’s count down from 10.

So we can shoot to the moon like a rocket!

Hold your breath.

10, 9, 8, 7

Hold your breath!

6, 5, 4

Hold your breathhhhh!

3, 2, 1

[SFX: sound of roaring engines, grumbling, simmering… and a failing engine]

TG:

Who didn’t hold it’s breath?

Yes, you there in the front! I see you.

That way we will never get there… Pfffff.

[intermezzo]

–– END

TG:

Look! Those clouds up there!

Push your nose against the window!

So you can better see it.

That looks nice and soft right?

Maybe I can use those as a trampoline?

Narrator:

Our fruit fly picks the biggest cloud in the sky

Make a big jump and with a big bounce…

[SFX: Poing. Poing.]

He jumps higher and higher.

From one cloud to the other.

[SFX: Poing.]

With every cloud a little higher.

[SFX: Poing.]

Till the earth looks like a little blue and green apple.

[SFX: Poing.]

And suddenly he feels that everything goes super easy.

TG: Wooohooo! I’m floating! This is SOOOOOO chill

[swooshing and bleeping sound of a space ship]

Narrator:

Turbo Gerrit is now a weightless fruit fly.

But… What is that?

Gerrit turns around abruptly…

Oh no…

Now he sees it!

A giant silver space ship is coming straight at him.

Our little friend has no way to go.

Oh oh…

[swooshing and bleeping sound of a space ship]

TG: Nooooo… no no no…. ooooh noooo...

[Plop!]

Narrator:

Once upon a time.

In a space ship like this. Lived Turbo Gerrit the Fruitfly.

He stayed in the trash bin next to the glove compartment.

Between the empty wrappers astronaut food and a brown tomato plant.

He was comfortable in space.

It was warm and cosy. And the radio played not too loud.

But still, Gerrit, even though he was small.

Wanted to become more than just a fruit fly in space.

Well. That was quite an adventure for Turbo Gerrit right?

Please don’t forget to listen to the other stories! Promise? Perfect! Have a safe trip!