What emerges when noise disappears?
A wonderful place of silence.
This silence was our stage
and it offered us incredible potential.
I am Rawand Baziany
and I am sound designer at Mercedes-Benz.
My name is Thomas Küppers
and I am lead engineer for our sound experience.
We faced the challenge of creating the sound for a vehicle
that combines the progressive nature of a Mercedes-EQ
with the comfort of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
We wanted to think empathetically
from the customer’s point of view
and additionally offer functional value
through the sounds.
For us as a team, this was new territory.
I’m speeding up in Silver Waves now.
Okay, Simon, when I accelerate to 110 km/h,
we can fully experience the resonance.
Yes, I can hear that back here as well.
Bit by bit we attained our vision
of designing a comprehensive artwork.
When there is a vehicle like the EQS,
it dominates the space simply by its presence.
We wanted to underline this feeling with the car’s aura.
It reflects the wakefulness, intelligence and dynamic
of the EQS.
We arranged hackathons with many sound designers.
We experimented wildly, inspired each other,
and created many ideas.
The sound wasn’t created in theoretical workshops,
but live as a team and directly on the computer.
I think about something very precise, functional,
on point, but still soft and with a high shine.
Yes, that could go well together.
Let’s integrate a few clear sine waves,
without any frippery.
It became clear rather early
that most sounds would be designed in the vehicle.
That’s where we can test our ideas
and validate them in the vehicle acoustics.
It is not sufficient to just have aesthetic sounds.
The sound feedback must fit the interaction precisely.
So the EQS became our mobile sound studio.
Okay, hold on tight now.
There is not that one legendary sound.
And we know that there is not that one customer.
Some like classical music or jazz,
others listen to heavy metal.
Quiet or slightly louder, progressive or gentle.
So we created three soundscapes.
All of them will be experienced in 3D
via the Burmester sound system
to create the most possible immersive sound.
Firstly, there is Silver Waves – sensually clean and precise.
A set that sounds both soft and brilliant.
Vivid Flux is perfect for electro enthusiasts –
crystalline synthesizers, free flowing gestures
and an intelligent shimmer on top.
We’ve created Roaring Pulse
with regard to performant and sonorous sounds.
A very extroverted sound inspired by powerful machines.
Some may ask themselves when using electric cars:
Is the car already running? Can I drive off now?
It was important for us to create an empathetic
and interactive vehicle
that gives you feedback in key moments.
In order for you, as a driver, to always know what’s going on
intuitively.
The EQS speaks to you.
That provides safety and strengthens confidence
as well as trust in the vehicle.
Our driving sounds are highly interactive.
You never speed up the same way twice.
This is exactly what the sound captures in real time.
As our electric flagship, the EQS
deserves a completely new acoustic-emotional design level.
Whether sensual, futuristic or natural –
all sounds fit our brand.
And we’re far from finished.
We will further explore other facets of the sound experience,
over time we will add new soundscapes
and the EQS will remain a stage for us.
Our curiosity drives us.
The story of sound design has just begun.