AES 5th International Conference on Automotive Audio

Recent years have witnessed a rapid evolution in driving sounds for electric vehicles (EVs), with features once considered groundbreaking, such as user customisation and launch control enhancements, quickly becoming commonplace. As innovation continues, new advancements like in-vehicle content stores, interactive drivable music, and synchronised in-seat haptics are already on the horizon. Meanwhile, amidst fierce market competition and pricing pressures on new EVs, it's evident that the ability to swiftly and efficiently bring innovative sonic experiences to market will be crucial in the software-defined vehicles of tomorrow.

In this hands-on workshop, we'll showcase effective workflows for designing, tuning, and integrating stunning driving sounds, AVAS and interactive driving experiences in general. Initially, we'll deconstruct an advanced driving sound to unveil its fundamental sonic elements and illustrate how these components are structured and routed for optimal performance. We'll delve into the control logic behind these components, enriching the experience with dynamic behaviours that are less predictable, while also incorporating appropriate triggers for integrated chimes and UX sounds.

Subsequently, we'll embark on designing a driving sound from scratch, providing insights into the sound creation process and the configuration of all interactive behaviour. Finally, we'll seamlessly integrate our newly crafted sound into an embedded target, highlighting a streamlined approach to mass production.

Developing a successful ESS system can require a combination of artistry (sound design) and traditional engineering (DSP algorithm design) skills. In this tutorial we explore ESS sound design using the Camden Labs ESS software running on an ARM-based embedded hardware platform. We'll go step-by-step through the creation of a variety of engine sounds including traditional internal combustion engines, as well as more futuristic sounds. Various sound synthesis approaches will be examined, including additive and granular synthesis methods, as well as a Fourier series based approach. Post-processing using a variety of filters and effects to enhance ESS performance will be demonstrated, as well as highly flexible automation features for controlling and altering engine sounds based on real-time information from the vehicle.