DUNTON, Essex, April 7, 2021 – The advent of streaming services, audiobooks, digital radio and podcasts mean drivers have access to a wider range of music and spoken word entertainment than ever before.
But while it has long been possible to adjust settings to optimise the sound for different genres of music and outputs, it has not always been straightforward to do so, especially on the move.
The new Beosonic™ feature of the B&O Sound System in Ford cars enables drivers and passengers to adjust the sound exactly as they want with one touch.
Users simply select from distinct “Bright”, “Energetic”, “Relaxed” and “Warm” sound spaces, or choose a setting that combines elements of more than one. There are also five pre-set modes: “Custom”, “Lounge”, “Neutral”, “Party” and “Podcast”.
“Whether you prefer to listen to classical music, the latest hits or a favourite podcast, we want to ensure that it is easy to enjoy your preferred choice to its maximum potential. Drivers have long had the means to adjust the sound in their car, but Beosonic makes those adjustments more intuitive, to help make journeys more comfortable and enjoyable,” said Jan Schroll, connectivity manager, Ford of Europe.
How it works
The B&O Beosonic™ feature is set up so that drivers can easily find their preferred sound mix, whether in a specific mood or any of the variations in between:
· “Bright” is more airy and crisp while softening some of the bass sounds
· “Energetic” focuses on rhythm and bass, while increasing the contrast in the vocals
· “Relaxed” has less treble and bass, making it ideal for background listening
· “Warm” makes the sound experience feel more intimate and closer
The pre-sets enable quicker access to specific listening modes. “Custom” returns to the previous user-defined setting, while “Neutral” resets the settings to the B&O reference sound. A double-tap on the white marker activates surround sound mode. The latest settings are stored when the vehicle is switched off, even if the battery is disconnected.
The ultimate soundcheck
In order to tune, test and perfect the Beosonic™ equaliser, HARMAN`s acoustic engineers used an eclectic playlist of 25 songs to evaluate and define the attributes for the four sound moods. The tuning process involved listening to these 25 songs in static and dynamic driving situations, using the trained ears of acoustic engineers and cutting-edge measuring instruments and microphones.
“The Ford and B&O brands share the same values on excellence in sound and design. We are very proud that the visceral B&O Beosonic one touch experience makes its way into car audio for the very first time in Ford with an intuitive interface, making captivating car audio experiences simple to manage,” said Greg Sikora, director, Acoustic Systems Engineering, HARMAN.
B&O Sound Systems available across the Ford line-up are uniquely designed and tuned for each model. Beosonic™ comes pre-installed in select models of EcoSport, Fiesta, Focus, Kuga and Puma with B&O Sound Systems. * Customers can test the feature online here.
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* BeosonicTM is an ex-works feature and unfortunately cannot be added to vehicles with B&O Sound Systems already on the road. The BeosonicTM trademark is the property of Bang & Olufsen a/s and is applied for, registered and used in multiple jurisdictions worldwide by the owner.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 43,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 58,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 14 manufacturing facilities (10 wholly owned facilities and four unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
HARMAN International (harman.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co, LTD., designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions, and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
