STAMFORD, CT – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), announced today that a major European-based automaker will be integrating HARMAN’s exclusive HALOsonic™ External Sound Synthesis (ESS) solution in a line of plug-in hybrid vehicles. HARMAN’s HALOsonic ESS solution is a potentially life-saving technology that generates sound outside the vehicle, particularly targeted at hybrid or electric vehicles that are virtually silent at low speeds.
Hybrids and electric vehicles present a safety concern at low speed as they often cannot be heard and recognized. HARMAN’s HALOsonic ESS solution generates a synthesized sound, dependent on speed and direction, and projects it from an exterior mounted speaker, giving an early identifiable warning to pedestrians that the car is approaching. The sound is projected only in the direction of travel, fading away almost instantly once the vehicle has passed. A synthetic engine ‘idle’ sound is also produced when the vehicle is switched on and placed in gear.
“We are very pleased to be pioneering a new form of safety features for automakers through our HALOsonic sound solutions,” said Dinesh C. Paliwal, the Chairman, President, and CEO of HARMAN. “With HALOsonic technology onboard vehicles such as ultra-quiet hybrids, these energy-conscious vehicles are also addressing safety concerns through advanced electronics.”
Several countries such as USA, Japan and parts of Europe have either implemented or are currently reviewing legislation to state that hybrid and electric vehicles must emit a recognizable sound above a minimum noise level to help improve pedestrian safety.
In addition to safety benefits, HARMAN offers a range of audio-based solutions under the HALOsonic banner that also help produce more environmentally-friendly cars beyond only hybrids or electric cars. Vehicle manufacturers are striving to meet new environmental and emission standards by a variety of means including, for instance, lowering vehicle weight by reducing the amount of noise-dampening insulation in a car’s headliner. In doing so, cabin noise often increases. HARMAN’s HALOsonic solutions can produce sounds not only external to the vehicle, but generate noise-cancelling sound inside the vehicle that helps meet environmental goals while increasing driver comfort.
About HARMAN
HARMAN (harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.4 billion for twelve months ending June 30, 2012. The Company’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE:HAR.
