The new technology is unique in the way that sound is composed and designed to obviate the need for variation. When the electric vehicle moves forward, the sound is only audible in front of the vehicle – as a warning to vulnerable road users that a vehicle is approaching and at the same time minimizing unnecessary noise on the sidewalk. The sound emitted from the vehicle depends on the direction, speed and acceleration of the vehicle.
"Having made a number of investments within the electric vehicle field, Energi Horsens sees this new technology as the obvious next step in our effort to create growth opportunity for electric vehicles in particular Denmark, but also in the rest of the world" states Ulrik Kragh, Chairman of the board in the investment fund Energi Horsens.
Energi Horsens has initiated several projects and investments focusing on electric vehicles, including the substantial Danish ’living lab’ project in Juelsminde/Horsens, in which 100 Danish families are testing every day use of EVs for a period of three months each. The potential of the new technology is evident to Ulrik Kragh:
”With this technology the positive and relaxing advantages of noiseless cars are sustained while the challenges of the silence are being met. This is the solution to the potential dangerous situations caused by noiseless cars and we see an even greater need for this solution as more and more electric and hybrid vehicles are entering the roads."
ECTunes’ concept is partly based on unique sound simulation software developed by their English partner NoViSim Ltd. Several car manufactures are already using this sound simulation software in the Brüel & Kjær NVH Vehicle Simulator to style the sounds for their current range of vehicles. ECTunes will be the first company in the world to use the technology in a new and innovative way. ECTunes’ system interprets input from the EV and translates it into intelligent sound – as opposed to non-intelligent sound from regular car horns.
”Our new technology allows us to customize sound for a specific purpose both in and outside the car. We can choose a certain sound for right-hand turns or left-hand turns and we can direct the sound and limit it to where it is useful. We are able to adjust sound to the surroundings and the speed of the car,’’ explains entrepreneur and CEO of ECTunes Jesper Boie Rasmussen. The experiences from the project in Juelsminde, anticipated impending legislation and increasing demand from the EV industry has ignited the idea for ECTunes.
To help prepare the new technology for the market, the intelligent sound system is being a tested in the Juelsminde project in Denmark and in a similar EV project at Warwick University in UK.
Headquartered in Horsens, Denmark, and founded by experts in acoustics, sound engineering and electric vehicle technology, ECTunes represents a vision to make the next generation of vehicles safer and more fun to drive. The company designs and manufactures innovative high performance safety sound systems as a solution to the growing concern quiet-running vehicles pose to pedestrians, cyclists and in particular the visually impaired. With an innovative solution based on an external sound system that generates synthetic vehicles sounds and an optional internal solution with traditional engine speed and throttles sounds, ECTunes preserves the popular benefits of silent cars while increasing pedestrian safety and enhancing the driving experience.
