A visually impaired player tested the Blind Drive Assist feature in Forza Motorsport and successfully completed a race using it

Steve Saylor, who regularly creates videos examining games from the perspective of a blind player and also provides accessibility consulting services to game development studios, showcased a new feature in his latest video.

Saylor has nystagmus, a condition characterized by rhythmic and involuntary eye movements that significantly affect his vision, rendering him legally blind.

However, as demonstrated in his video, the Blind Drive Assist feature in Forza Motorsport, which he claims is the first of its kind in any racing game, provides audio cues to assist him in determining the position of his car and upcoming turns.

Players receive audio signals indicating when to brake and accelerate, essentially serving as an auditory version of the red, yellow, and green arrow indicators used for turns.

Additionally, there is a voice guide informing the player about upcoming turns, specifying whether they need to turn left or right and the sharpness of the turn, akin to a rally co-driver.

The game also incorporates other audio cues that signal when the player is approaching a turn, entering it, reaching its apex, and exiting it.

Another audio cue moves from left to right in the player's ears to indicate the car's position on the track.

Saylor notes that while all these accessibility features are helpful, "they are not perfect and require a significant learning curve."

He explained that after his first race, where he finished 21st, the experience was challenging.

"I couldn't navigate the turns correctly, had difficulty determining when to brake, even with all the aids turned on. There was a lot happening in my headphones, and it was hard for me to distinguish one signal from another. Essentially, it was a mix of sounds."

Nevertheless, Saylor explains that these new accessibility features, like any other option in the game, need to be customized to suit each player's requirements.

By adjusting volume and pitch sliders for each cue and reducing engine and tire volume, Saylor was able to differentiate between cues better and even finished his next race in fourth place and his third race in first place.

"It's further proof that accessibility isn't about making the game easier for people with disabilities," he explained, "it's about giving us the same challenge as everyone else and the right tools to play and even improve our skills."