Who Needs Speakers To Listen To Music In 2020?

• The technology uses Sennheiser’s patented AMBEO 3D technology and Continental’s Ac2ated sound system.
• It uses the cabin surfaces like the A-pillar trim, door trim and roof lining to excite sound.
• Continental And Sennheiser claim a natural and immersive sound from this system.

Continental and German electronic giant Sennheiser are on the path to revolutionise automotive audio experience with a speakerless sound system. Behind this witchcraft is Sennheiser’s patented AMBEO 3D technology along with Continental’s Ac2ated sound system. In a nutshell, surfaces inside a car’s cabin are used to excite sound, helping get rid of huge speakers to open up space and reduce weight. The technology was showcased at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Yes, conventional speakers take up a good amount of space (which goes up with the number of speakers and woofers) and increases the overall weight of a car. For instance, an audio system weighs up to 40kg with all the components and speakers. This is where the speakerless audio comes in as it saves 75-90 per cent of the weight depending upon the application. This will help keep the weight in check in electric vehicles, which are generally on the heavier side. 

Furthermore, we think this might be monumental in saving weight on supercars and track-focussed sportscars. Wondering how all of this is possible without speakers? To understand that, we must go back to stringed instruments that use wooden hollow surfaces to excite and amplify sound waves. Sennheiser and Continental are using more or less the same idea with this new technology. 

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Cabin parts such as the A-pillar trim, door trim, roof lining, and rear shelf are made to vibrate so that they emit sound in different frequency ranges. This will emit an immersive sound packed with rich details. They also claim that the resulting sound will be extremely natural and as if the occupants are sitting in a concert hall. That sounds like the future. Moreover, the designers and engineers will have more freedom to design and increase storage space inside a car which would otherwise be occupied by big speakers.

We think this will be a game-changer in the automotive industry, especially in high-performance vehicles and EVs considering the weight gains.