Fraunhofer IIS brings the concert hall into the car: Unique surround sound in the BMW X3
Fraunhofer's Symphoria technology provides passengers with sensational sound via the on-board sound system. The first model is the new BMW X3. This enhances the pleasure of driving with unprecedented surround sound.
An interdisciplinary team of audio engineers, sound engineers and audio DSP experts at Fraunhofer IIS combines the latest research results with decades of experience in the audio sector. Fraunhofer IIS has established itself as a reliable partner to the automotive industry. The algorithms developed in Erlangen ensure impressive sound experiences in the sound systems of numerous manufacturers - in every musical genre from classical to pop. In the audio system of the new BMW X3, a powerful sound system with 15 loudspeakers provides the ideal basis for the Fraunhofer Symphoria technology.
Symphoria turns the vehicle into a moving concert hall
Fraunhofer Symphoria creates an enveloping surround sound in vehicles. By processing audio signals, a feeling of spatiality is created in the car, in which the physical boundaries of the vehicle seem to dissolve. Symphoria expands the sound image by giving it more width, depth and also height. A wide, clearly defined sound stage and a balanced surround sound field is created for every seat in the vehicle.
“It was clear early on in our discussions that our sound philosophies fit together very well and that together we could achieve a new level of quality in music reproduction. In close coordination with the specialist department, it was possible to align our technologies specifically to the strengths of the sound system in the BMW X3 and thus create an experience that sets standards in this class,” says Oliver Hellmuth, head of the Semantic Audio Signal Processing department at Fraunhofer IIS.
The BMW X3 with Symphoria at the heart of its sound system has been available on the European market since fall 2024.
An extensive technology portfolio
In addition to Symphoria, Fraunhofer IIS is developing further audio technologies for use in vehicles with the Sonamic product family. This expands the product range to include intelligent audio processing technologies that take the experience of in-car entertainment systems to a whole new level of comfort and quality.
Fraunhofer IIS's upHear Cingo technology has already been part of the rear-seat entertainment experience in BMW 7 Series models since 2023, providing passengers in the rear seat with enveloping sound via headphones.
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