Mercedes-Benz has partnered with artists to make your car a musical instrument as well. At CES 2024, will make that happen. MBUX Sound Drive claims to transform your driving experience into a distinctive tune or auditory landscape. However, Mercedes hopes that eventually, it will also develop into a platform for collaborative music.
Nevertheless, this is not will. i.am and Mercedes’s first meeting. The rapper, the carmaker, and West Coast Customs collaborated to create the Mercedes Flip, a unique coupe that debuted at the Formula 1 Grand Prix USA in Miami at the beginning of 2022. Based on a 2023 Mercedes AMG GT, the idea included rear-hinged doors and a love-or-hate fascia inspired by the G-Class SUV. It also included a new logo that combined the three-pointed star with a bear’s visage.
In contrast, MBUX Sound Drive appears to be quite typical. Mercedes has already experimented with dynamically generated music in its cars. For instance, the electronic warbling that passengers in electric vehicles hear is produced dynamically based on the driving style of the vehicle.
Not just a strange tech concept
However, the sounds of an internal combustion engine are essentially replaced by an electric background thanks to that technique. On the other hand, MBUX Sound Drive delves much deeper; the music it produces is meant to be noticeable rather than blend in the background.
A unique track can be made by combining driving dynamics data from the car’s different sensors and feeding it into the music software on the MBUX infotainment platform. Mercedes EV acceleration, braking, steering, and energy recovery are just a few of the variables that will be considered. Subsequently, these car features are transformed into “musical expressions,” enabling the driver to “compose” while driving.
The fact that Mercedes is bringing this technology to CES 2024 as more than just a quirky showcase is noteworthy in this instance. On the contrary, it intends to introduce MBUX Sound Drive to existing Mercedes-Benz or Mercedes-AMG owners who have vehicles equipped with the second-generation MBUX system internationally in the middle of 2024.
Beyond that, according to Mercedes, the idea is to build an “open music platform” using audio produced by MBUX Sound Drive. According to the manufacturer, this will lead to the publication of brand-new songs in a variety of genres in an immersive audio format developed using the MBUX Sound Drive studio software.
From behind the wheel, it’s surprisingly fun
It would be simple to write off MBUX Sound Drive as a gimmick, particularly if you’ve been unimpressed by the automakers’ practice of giving EVs odd, synthetic engine noises. I’ve been known to dislike the slightly menacing noise that the AMG EQS Sedan emits inside the cabin, and to be honest, I thought the new, more sophisticated version would sound much the same. Rather, a little ride in an electric Mercedes SUV turned out to be rejuvenating.
Things become fascinating when the car moves, even though it begins as a mild, computerized burble at idle. Accelerating gradually added pads and synth sounds; applying more force to the accelerator loaded up a deeper bassline. Reverb and delay were added when you slowed down, either by pressing the brake or just removing the pedal.
While the final product may not have achieved platinum status in the charts, it was undoubtedly more “musical” than anything I had ever heard an EV do for its in-cabin sound. What’s more, it was fun to play with (though I’m sure the drivers behind me weren’t thrilled when I slowed down to 10 mph to get some more pounding beats). While Mercedes informs me that MBUX takes into account the current speed limit of the road, driving faster won’t make the created song any more frenzied. Still, you might be inspired to drive in ways that add particularly melodic components.
Overall, it’s not nearly the passing oddity that I had anticipated, even though I doubt any Mercedes-AMG owner would become a bestselling singer or producer from MBUX Sound Drive. If the beats are right, I might even be tempted to take a little longer way home.
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