Sound Design

With design labs focusing on the automotive sector in Detroit, Munich, Suzhou, Seoul and Tokyo, industrial design agency, Huemen, works within Harman International Industries – the company behind some of the most famous nameplates you’ll see adorning audio hardware – to create unforgettable user experiences for drivers of all sorts of vehicles all over the world.

The number of brands the multi-award winning Huemen design agency develop new solutions for is astounding. Partnering with Harman International Industries, household names like JBL, Mark Levinson, Infinity, and Harman Kardon among many others are all on the agency’s roster.

Philipp Siebourg, Director, Global Car Audio Design and Site Lead at Huemen Automotive Design in Munich, says there is much more than simple sound quality to consider when developing audio systems for Huemen’s diverse client base.

“We have a lot of responsibilities at every stage of the design process. In the automotive division we are designing audio systems and interfaces for automotive clients, so we must be very consumer focused in our approach. We have to be forward facing to the end-user,” he says.

Add to this equation the idea of then placing a particular audio brand within a certain make of car – made by a company with its own distinct brand values and positioning – and getting the right balance becomes a subtle science for Huemen’s designers.

“We have to fully immerse ourselves in the DNA of both the audio and vehicle brands. It’s a balance and we need to take a bird’s eye view of both sides.”

Philipp says the Huemen team must consider the brand philosophies: are they rooted in luxury or performance? Tradition or innovation? This process creates the opportunity to bring together differing brand values and positioning and amalgamate them in truly unforgettable ways.

An example of this is the way premium audio brand Mark Levinson and luxury carmaker Lexus partner; a partnership which was created under the holistic guidance of Huemen.

“Lexus’ use of Mark Levinson audio is interesting,” Philipp continues. “On one hand you have this very proud American brand, on the other an equally proud Japanese brand. Together they represent this edgy, cool marriage of design.

“Mark Levinson is all about amplification and power, using distinct mid-century tones in its aesthetic design. Lexus is all about mixing traditional craftsmanship with technology. In Japan the idea of ‘power’ is reflected in the tectonic ‘Ring of Fire’ around the Pacific.

“This led Huemen to commission a special video, entitled “Atmosphere”, to help define the relationship between the two brands using symbolism from nature. Often it takes more than words to capture the elements necessary to tell the design story or describe the user experience.”

There is no traditional way of approaching design solutions for clients. And today, the need to present clean sheet approaches every time is underlined by the advent of the electric vehicle. Philipp says that the fast-paced nature of electric vehicle development has meant big changes in the way automotive audio needs to be thought about.

“There is a different perception of sound within an electric vehicle because the engine noise has been eliminated,” he says. “But at the same time road noise might be amplified, so that must be taken into consideration.

“Also, elements such as recycled or alternative materials within the car interior have the ability to change the perception of sound for the occupants. What’s coming next? Autonomous functionality within passenger vehicles will lead to further audio evolution.

“Many concepts might have the driver located centrally within the cabin or feature more flexibility for passenger seating. Whether you have an occupant facing forwards or backwards, or whether the autonomous drive system allows them to recline their seat, how many people are in the car – this all has a bearing on the way the audio system needs to perform and how the vehicle’s occupants engage with it.”

According to Philipp, the design team can’t get involved too early in the process of developing audio for a new car.

“When the clay is still wet is a great time to start!” he laughs. “It is super important to be involved very early on in the development process. When you consider that the average new model might be in development for three, four, five years – and the audio system and interface will probably represent around one year of that process – there is a risk of appearing to be out of step with what comes to market.

“That’s why our teams must deliver a holistic brand design experience. We need to capture iconic elements of the vehicle brand and iconic elements of the audio brand and bring them together – a home speaker and a car speaker. When you can successfully harness the DNA of these components it means your design solution remains fresh.”

Consistency is important too.

“Today’s car buyer expects to be able to transition from the home to the vehicle and it present a seamless experience in terms of information, comfort, quality. Volvo is a great example of a company doing this well, in tandem with Harman Kardon.

“There is no disruption between design aesthetic or sound quality from the home speaker to the car speaker in a Volvo XC40 for example. This is the consistency of design that Volvo achieves so brilliantly.”

And with Volvo in mind – a manufacturer famed for its uncompromising stance on safety – it’s worth noting there is more to the way in-car audio needs to work with occupants beyond delivering a favourite song or news report in high fidelity. The speaker as passive safety equipment is now more crucial than ever.

“With the increase in safety technology in vehicles, speaker quality and placement take on a different role. For example, Blindspot Monitoring Systems rely upon a warning alert to come from a specific direction, so the driver is aware of where the potential danger is around them. There are immensely practical applications to good audio design.

“Audio is one of the five senses, so it is very important to how you perceive a certain vehicle,” Philipp concludes.

“It’s the Huemen Automotive Design team’s role to be deeply imbedded in the process of bringing that vehicle from the drawing board to the showroom, so that the values and expectations of not only the consumer, but the automotive and audio brands we work for, are met with quality and consistency.”