Separated Sound Zone (SSZ) technology has been in development since 2014. Credit: Hyundai Motor Company.

Hyundai Motor Company has unveiled its next-generation separated sound zone (SSZ) technology that enables vehicle passengers to experience an audio stream customised to their individual requirements whilst providing a headphone-free social space to converse freely.

This technology creates and controls the acoustic fields of the vehicle, enabling the driver and each passenger to listen to isolated sounds, including music, hands-free phone calls, and vehicle alerts.

Several speakers installed in the vehicle are fitted with a technology that uses scientific principles to cut down or raise audio levels of sound waves.

This feature helps to negate the overlap of sounds being heard in each individual seat, in turn creating the similar impact as current noise cancellation systems, but requiring headphones.

Hyundai’s NVH Research Lab Research Fellow Kang-duck Ih said: “Customers in the autonomous navigation era will demand increasingly customisable entertainment options within their vehicles, which includes technological innovations such as the separated sound system.

“I hope by providing drivers and passengers with tailored, independent audio spaces, they will experience a more comfortable and entertaining transportation environment.”

“I hope by providing drivers and passengers with tailored, independent audio spaces, they will experience a more comfortable and entertaining transportation environment.”

Passengers often opt to use headphones during a journey to isolate their audio stream due to varying musical tastes. However, this can also lead to an unnecessary social barrier when interacting with other passengers.

While travelling in a vehicle fitted with next-generation SSZ technology, all passengers can link their smartphone via Bluetooth and listen to their own music without interfering with other passenger’s audio streams.

When this technology is used, hands-free phone calls can also be isolated to individual passengers’ requirements, ensuring privacy while making phone conversations on the move.

The technology can eliminate unnecessary sounds such as navigation or other alerts for the passenger, but provide them for the driver.

Since 2014, the technology has been in development and the mass production system is expected to be ready for installation in vehicles within one to two years.