After four years of product development, Volkswagen is gearing up to start trials for its latest regional road safety innovation, the “RooBadge,” in collaboration with creative agency DDB Sydney, and wildlife rescue organisation, Wires.

This device, designed to fit over a Volkswagen’s front badge, emits a warning signal to kangaroo species as vehicles approach. The signal, inaudible to humans, blends natural and artificial sounds in real time before projecting at high-frequency from the front of the vehicle. The creative solution by the Amarok ute manufacturer aims to save countless kangaroos, protect regional Australian drivers, and prevent hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage.

Project lead David Jackson, DDB Sydney’s digital executive creative director, told Mediaweek the inspiration for the RooBadge came from Volkswagen commercial clients experiencing the kangaroo hazard firsthand on film sets for its annual Amarok ad, which sparked the three-year journey towards a solution.

Read more here.