Development and Testing of an Immersive 4D Car Audio System based on Electrodynamic Shakers

In recent years, the automotive industry has become increasingly interested in innovative audio systems that provide wide customization options and offer the possibility to create individual entertainment environments for car users. In this context, the technologies exploiting devices that generate vibrations are the most intriguing, since they provide a more immersive and engaging listening experience when combined with audio systems. In previous works, a testing environment resembling the acoustic properties of a car compartment was designed. An audio system and a car seat were placed inside of it. Finally, an electrodynamic shaker was rigidly installed on the car seat backrest and an analysis of the dynamic response of the system was performed. The aim of this paper is to develop and test an immersive 4D audio system, where the seat vibration induced by the shaker provides the user with a tactile sensation that extends the music listening experience by adding a new sensory dimension. Three control logics for the shaker actuation are designed, which process the music track in different ways to produce the shaker driving signal. A jury test campaign is conducted in the designed testing environment, to determine which control logic is preferred. Finally, a correlation analysis between the subjective judgements and the objective measurements collected during the tests is performed.