Next-Gen Car Sound Systems Are Coming - Here's How They Work

When you think of the perfect soundstage, or rather, the pinnacle of pristine audio, the environment you're picturing is probably not going to be inside a vehicle. Sure, high-quality vehicle audio systems sound fantastic, but a room, or specifically a rectangular room with the right equipment, is the best space for acoustics. The takeaway is that there's more space for sound waves to bounce around in a room versus inside the cabin of your average vehicle. However, a new, next-gen speaker system from a company called Warwick Acoustics aims to completely turn that piece of conventional wisdom on its head. Warwick's technology can create an "unprecedented soundstage," boasting true 3D surround sound.

Most speakers, even the wireless varieties aimed at true audiophiles, include a cone-like dynamic system. The Warwick Acoustics speaker is nearly flat. The elevated properties are achieved thanks to a revolutionary design. Called electrostatic speakers, a flat diaphragm is placed between two perforated metal plates. The plates act as electrodes, with the diaphragm electrically charged. As the audio signal is sent to the speaker it produces an electrostatic field that moves the diaphragm. But compared to traditional dynamic speakers, with their cone shape, Warwick's are thinner and much more lightweight — weighing 90% less. These speakers also produce unique sound waves which are what make them sound like they're issuing noise from further away.

Sound waves flatten as they spread, creating areas of compression and rarefaction, like ripples in water that's disturbed. The reactivity of those waves give you a perception of the sound's source, or the direction it traveled. That's also how conventional speakers produce audio via conical shapes. Their waves disperse, flattening to give a sense of directionality. But inside a car, those waves don't travel far, especially before reaching your ears, so they always sound close.

Warwick Acoustics' electrostatic speakers create flat sound waves. You would "perceive this as a sound that has begun further away" says Ian Hubbard, the company's chief commercial officer. The nearly flat waves give the impression you're in a bigger venue with open acoustics, and sound like they're coming from up to 30 meters (98 feet) away. It's reminiscent of how soundbars — including the recent Marshall Heston 60 — produce loud, high-quality sounds in compact frames.

Moreover, the speed and accuracy of the electrostatic speakers provide another benefit. Hubbard says the performance reduces the need to manipulate audio "using digital techniques," so they're smaller, cost less, and require less energy for the "digital signal processing (DSP) components." In other words, they can produce more with less. Because they're so thin, they can be placed inside headrests, seat fabrics, above the dash, and in the doors.

The speakers are not made with rare earth elements, instead comprised of sustainable upcycled and recycled materials. Warwick says they're set to appear in a "global luxury car maker," and will be unveiled sometime in 2026. In the meantime, you can always grab a pair of the best headphones for audiophiles to jam out wherever your travels take you.