Lucid Motors unveiled the integration of Dolby Atmos as part of its new 21-speaker Surreal Sound system in the upcoming Lucid Air luxury electric sedan.
With this, Lucid has achieved: the world’s first automotive integration of Dolby Atmos, an immersive audio experience in the Lucid Air luxury EV that envelops listeners with the rich, multi-dimensional sound of Dolby Atmos and increased overall safety with enhanced driver aids that feature directional acoustic signaling of notifications, warnings, and all other driver and passenger alerts.
Enabling this incredible music listening experience is the 21-speaker Surreal Sound system, which consists of front, rear, side, and height speakers optimally integrated and precisely positioned in the Air interior to allow the driver and passengers to feel the relative movement of individual sounds as they move around the cabin. Working with Dolby, the speaker system was tuned and perfected for the unique space of the Lucid Air using the legendary Capitol Records Studio C recording studio as the reference design.
“As the first car to integrate Dolby Atmos, Lucid Air delivers an elevated, multi-dimensional sound experience on par with the other innovations at Lucid,” said Derek Jenkins, Senior VP of Design, Lucid Motors. “The post-luxury experience is not just about beautiful design and next-generation technology, it also speaks to an unmatched in-car experience that engages all the senses.”
Dolby Atmos lets listeners connect with music at its fullest creative potential – not the way most people hear music today, but a version that pulls you into a song to reveal what was lost with traditional stereo recordings. It brings music to life by providing artists an expanded palette that can be used to express their creativity in an entirely new way. When combined with the Surreal Sound system, Dolby Atmos will deliver an unprecedented listening experience that will transform music listening in your car.
“From reimagined classics to some of today’s biggest chart-topping hits, Dolby Atmos Music has been positively embraced and viewed by the music community as one of the industry’s biggest paradigm shifts within the past 50 years,” said Tim Pryde, Director of Music, Dolby Laboratories. “As a company, we are fully committed to bringing immersive audio to all the ways in which music is enjoyed. Automotive is a natural extension for the incredible experience of music in Dolby Atmos, and we are excited to bring this to the world with Lucid.”
In addition, Surreal Sound also helps increase the overall safety of Lucid Air by enhancing driver aids. The audio experience extends to the intuitive design of the Air, including acoustic signaling of notifications, indications, warnings, and all other audio emitted to alert the driver and passengers. For example, a seatbelt warning will, to the driver’s ears, come from the direction of the unbuckled belt. Other warnings, such as blind-spot detection, will feature directionality to help focus the driver’s attention. Even sounds as common as turn signals will sound to the driver as if it were coming from the indicated side of the vehicle.
