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How to turn your hybrid or electric car into a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Lotus supercar
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ESS, or Electric Sound Synthesis, from Lotus and Harmon-Kardon
Drivers of hybrid and electric vehicles will be able to sound like a supercar with some new technology from Lotus and the audio people at Harmon Kardon. With the push of a button, you'll be able add the throaty rumble of a Lotus, the roar of a Lamborghini, or the pleasing purr of a Ferrari.
Nobody who owns a hybrid or electric car ever complains about how fuel efficient they are. But some owners are wierded out by the totally silent they are. And there are some legitimate safety issues for pedestrians and especially the blind, who cannot see or hear these super quiet vehicles approach. This new gadget will change that.
It's not a recording. It's more like a sound synthesizer that reacts to driver input. It's called ESS, for Electronic Sound Synthesis.
Lotus engineer Andy Mackay told Europe's Auto Express that it works by processing road speed info from a car’s ECU and turning it into an engine note that’s pumped through speakers in the cabin and hidden in the wheelarches.
The first version is to be launched in the UK, but Auto Express reports the first version will sound more like Star Trek than supercar. Scotty, beam me up to a Lambo, Lotus or Ferrari.
My thanks to to Europe's Auto-Express for alerting me to this news.
Read Exotic Car Examiner Kae Davis for more news about exotic cars like Lamborghini, Lotus or Ferrari.
Follow Green Car Examiner Evelyn Kanter on Twitter.
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