Huawei’s Advances in Automotive Audio Technology
The automotive audio industry has entered a new phase of development with Huawei’s efforts at their audio research center in Shanghai. The company began its investments in this field in 2012 and is now challenging the existing systems in car audio thanks to its advanced audio testing facilities.
Advanced Audio Research Centers
Huawei’s facility includes three distinct testing environments: a fully anechoic chamber, a semi-anechoic chamber with a reflective floor, and a dedicated listening room with a 9.1.6 configuration. These centers are designed to achieve maximum accuracy in measuring audio performance.
The sound tuning process at Huawei starts with objective audio measurements such as frequency response curves, phase relationships, timing behavior, and distortion characteristics, followed by intensive subjective listening sessions based on psychoacoustic principles to tailor the sound to the acoustic challenges inside a vehicle.
HUAWEI SOUND ULTIMATE Series
The research and development efforts have resulted in the HUAWEI SOUND ULTIMATE system, the most luxurious audio system offered by Huawei to date, used in the luxury electric vehicle Maxstro S800. The system consists of 43 speakers with subwoofers providing a total power of 2920 watts.
The system offers an immersive surround sound experience thanks to rear speakers that synchronize with music and video content, adding tactile feedback to the auditory experience.
Advanced Audio Design Technologies
The system features a coaxial woofer that rotates ninety degrees compared to traditional designs, reducing panel resonance and extending bass response. It also includes a dual-diaphragm speaker that utilizes the cabin volume instead of traditional design constraints.
Spatial audio technology uses ten overhead channels and adaptive field sound control, enhancing sound clarity and directionality.
Independent Sound Zones
The standout feature of the system is the innovative technology for independent sound zones, where each headrest includes four speakers, allowing sound isolation between different rows of seats. Huawei claims to achieve up to 30 decibels of isolation between rows and 99% energy separation.
The system also integrates road noise cancellation technology using a comprehensive multi-channel model, providing active and effective sound isolation.
Conclusion
Huawei’s efforts in automotive audio engineering show a promising path for development. The company relies on a combination of measurement-based development and self-tuning improvements to achieve superior sound quality. The biggest challenge remains transforming these innovations into widespread commercial success by integrating them into multiple production lines at reasonable commercial prices, which will determine its future success in this industry.