No Headphones Required: Hyundai’s Tech Lets Each Passenger Listen To Their Own Music

Families will no longer need to argue about what type of music is played in the car thanks to Hyundai.

The South Korean automaker has just unveiled its next-generation Separated Sound Zone (SSZ) technology that allows each passenger to enjoy their own music without clunky headphones while still being able to easily communicate with each other.

SSZ is able to control the acoustic fields of the car thanks to a series of advanced speakers. These speakers use “scientific principals” to reduce or increase audio levels of sound waves, negating the overlap of sounds and allowing vehicle occupants to enjoy isolated sounds. Hyundai says SSZ creates the same effect as noise cancellation systems found in many modern headphones.

Not only does SSZ allow each passenger to enjoy their own music, it also enables them to hold their own hands-free phone calls. Additionally, SSZ can isolate certain sounds, such as those from a navigation system, exclusively to the driver, allowing other passengers to enjoy an uninterrupted journey.

“Customers in the autonomous navigation era will demand increasingly customizable entertainment options within their vehicles, which includes technological innovations such as the Separated Sound System,” Hyundai NVH Research Lab research fellow Kang-duck lh said.

“I hope by providing drivers and passengers with tailored, independent audio spaces, they will experience a more comfortable and entertaining transportation environment.

Hyundai says it will introduce SSZ technology to its production vehicles within one to two years. It has yet to specify which models will receive the technology first, but logic dictates it’ll start with its premium models.