New BMW HypersonX tech to make EVs sound like ‘the pleasure of driving’
Neue Klasse cars will be able to tailor sounds based on the driving situation, starting with the new iX3
Electric cars have the ability to run in near silence and while some will see this as a positive, those craving the same levels of audible feedback you get from an internal-combustion engine have been disappointed – and that’s where BMW comes in with its upcoming HypersonX technology.
HypersonX will launch on the brand’s Neue Klasse models, the first of which will be the new iX3, which will be revealed at this year’s Munich Motor Show. BMW claims HypersonX will create a “unique soundscape for the Neue Klasse”, although it goes beyond simply trying to recreate combustion engine noises.
Developed in conjunction with BMW’s Panoramic iDrive system (which will also be launched on Neue Klasse cars), HypersonX comprises 43 sound signals and “special driving sounds” for the Personal and Sport driving modes.
More than nine million sounds were created for HypersonX and while we’ll have to wait until the debut of the new iX3’s to hear the results of the company’s efforts, BMW says the tech will create “an emotional interaction between the driver and their vehicle”.
It adds that the HypersonX drive sounds will be inspired by “tones from nature” and “structures from the worlds of art and science”. However, in a bid to keep purists happy, the firm also says the system will “embody the pleasure of driving for which BMW is renowned”.
Renzo Vitale, BMW’s Creative Director of Sound Design said: “The unique sound spectrum of HypersonX plays a major role in giving a Neue Klasse model its own, highly distinctive character acoustically. Through our focus on precision, warmth and lightness, we can create a direct emotional connection between the driver and their vehicle.”
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