Future Car Audio Systems without Loudspeakers

Continental reinvents the car audio system, inspired by the principle of running stringed instruments. The German multinational is experimenting with special actuators that use surfaces and components of the passenger compartment to play sounds instead of conventional speakers. Compared to the latter, the audio system without speakers offers many benefits: considerable weight reduction, considerable volume reduction and less power consumption, all with excellent acoustics.

Regardless of the vehicle segment, driver expectations for car audio systems are usually very high. That is why current audio systems generally require many speakers to transmit 3D sound, which complicates not so much the integration of audio components. In fact, the tweeter mix (high frequency speakers), midrange (mid frequency) and woofer (low frequencies) that together make a high-end audio system constantly interferes with the appearance and design of the passenger compartment surfaces, making do the work of vehicle designers.

According to Continental, it is not necessary to integrate conventional speakers, ie those with oscillating membranes when all the surfaces necessary for vibration (and therefore sounds) are already present in the car: the underlying idea of ​​the new system is to avoid duplicate and use existing components to get even better results.

As? Sound waves are generated by compact actuators, which are similar to the core of a conventional diffuser. These transducers are made up of a magnet and a coil that generates micro-vibrations. However, instead of an oscillating membrane that is part of a "normal" loudspeaker, the components and surfaces already existing in the vehicle are excited to transmit the sound. In the car, A is suitable for high frequencies, while door panels, for example, have the right properties to generate average frequencies. And as with traditional speakers, large components such as roof lining or rear shelf can be used to generate low frequencies. Also, to get good 3D sound, Conventional top-of-the-range audio systems can take between ten and twenty speakers: cn current technology such a system weighs up to 15 kg and "steals" a volume of 10 to 30 liters. The Continental speaker system without sound can weigh just over one kilogram and occupy only one liter of total volume. Continental's acoustic engineers also point out the sound quality of the product, as confirmed by experts outside the company.