For decades, vehicles have been a part of our daily lives. We know what they are supposed to drive like, how they react and what they should sound like. With the significant increase in sales of fully electric and hybrid vehicles, we are witnessing a change in the acoustic experience in and around a car. The silence of the electric powertrain means that pedestrians miss familiar acoustic cues warning them of an approaching vehicle. With an electric vehicle, they can no longer rely on sound to determine how fast a vehicle is approaching and how close it is.

In order to improve pedestrian safety around electric and hybrid vehicles, the external Digital Sound Synthesis (eDSS) technology creates a specific electronic sound, projected from speakers at the front and rear of the vehicles, giving an early warning to pedestrians that a car is approaching. The volume and characteristics of the eDSS signal are actively controlled to inform pedestrians of the vehicle’s speed and location, thereby further enhancing pedestrian safety.

Safety: The new active system is optimized to operate in urban environments with the greatest risk of a collision with pedestrians, especially high-risk groups such as the elderly, children, cyclists, and particularly the blind and their guide dogs.
eDSS helps automakers comply with governmental safety regulations.

The sound of a car engine is an integral part of the experience behind the wheel and plays a crucial role in defining the DNA of the car. eDSS is capable of creating custom-designed engine sounds, thereby helping to retain an OEM-specific (Original Equipment Manufacturer) sound DNA for the car.