Pole Position Production collaborates with Volvo Cars – will develop design solutions for the soundscape in highly automated cars

Pole Position Production collaborates with Volvo Cars

Pole Position Production is joining forces with Volvo Cars and Rise Interactive in a research project to evaluate how sound can influence and enhance user experience in highly automated cars.

Audio production company Pole Position Production is one of the world’s leading companies in the field of vehicle audio recordings and sound designfor movies and games and has contributed to films such as Academy award-winning Dunkirk and games such as Battlefield 5 and Mad Max. Now they are opening the door to the automotive industry. In a research project aiming to examine the potential in sound as a medium for communication in highly automated cars, Pole Position Production will design the soundscape for the test environment used in the project.

– It’s a very interesting project and we were thrilled when Volvo Cars asked if we would like to participate. We have more than 10 years of experience from interactive sound design. This is a great opportunity for us to share our knowledge in a new industry, said Max Lachmann, founder and co-owner of Pole Position Production.

The introduction of highly automated cars will change the interaction between cars and their users. This will put completely new demands on the design of this interaction in order to support the users in their new roles as more passive travelers.

– The main purpose of this project is to give us new understanding on how sound can be used in the interaction between cars and their users. In the gaming industry, we have been using sound to interact with users for a long time, so this is a natural step for us, said Max Lachmann.

There are many similarities between designing sound for games and designing sound for a driver’s compartment in a highly automated car. 

– It’s partly about getting the attention of the user. In games, we use sounds to guide the user in the right direction, towards the goal. In highly automated cars it will be possible to create a customized, dynamic soundscape which continuously provides the user with information, whether it’s a bike passing close to the car or if the car is approaching an interesting historical site. As in games, we will also be able to use sound and music to create a soundscape which influences people’s behavior, mood, emotions and general wellbeing in a positive way, said Linus Anderberg, project coordinator at Pole Position Production.

During the project a new VR demonstrator will be created where people will get a simulated experience of highly automated cars. The users experiences of the sound in the test environment will be evaluated by RISE Interactive, part of the research institute RISE, which develops interaction design and user experiences for future products and services. The project is set to last for two years and is partly financed by Vinnova, Sweden’s Innovation Agency.

For high resolution pictures or more information about this project and Pole Position Production, please contact:

Linus Anderberg, Project Coordinator, Pole Position Production linus@pole.se, +46 73 535 55 22