CUPRA Electric Vehicle Engine Sound (AVAS)
WINNER 2022 | Category: Product
Entrant
why do birds GmbH
Abstract
When developing the AVAS for the CUPRA, our sound design was based on three pillars: environment, audibility, and brand representation.
We have a responsibility for our environment and must reduce noise. But we still have to ensure safety for pedestrians. So, we optimize the audibility. The AVAS is also a chance to represent the brand positioning.
Description
Everyone is talking about electric mobility. The new engines mean less noise. But also a 35% increase in pedestrian accidents. That’s why a mandatory “Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System” (AVAS), has been introduced by the European Comission. The purposely designed driving sound makes near silent electric cars sonically recognizable.
When developing the AVAS for the racing-spirit brand CUPRA, our sound design was based on three pillars: environment, audibility, and brand representation.
We have a responsibility for our environment and must exploit the possibility of reducing noise on the streets. But we still have to ensure safety for pedestrians. So, frequency bands had to be carefully designed to optimize audibility. And of course, the AVAS is also an opportunity to represent and highlight the brand and its unique positioning.
To create the foundation for the audio design, we studied the interior design materials and brand colours like copper, wood and carbon fibre and translated them into sound.
These unique sounds are the ingredients, not only for the AVAS but the holistic audio branding concept for all audiovisual touchpoints of CUPRA.