Music artist Will.i.am and Mercedes-Benz have debuted a new way to drive and listen to music.
The Grammy award-winning artist and the luxury vehicle company just unveiled technology that links your music to your driving by playing songs that match with your acceleration, braking, steering and other functions.
Related: Mercedes-Benz has a clever safety solution for autonomous driving
In a collaboration called MBUX Sound Drive, which was announced at tech conference CES 2024, Will.i.am and Mercedes-Benz aim to turn cars into a “virtual musical instrument,” according to a press release.
"Imagine a world where your car can become an instrument creating musical journeys. MBUX SOUND DRIVE enhances driving and sound technology, letting motorists reshape music just by driving,” said Will.i.am in the press release.
When playing music while driving, Sound Drive not only adjusts different volume levels for different parts of a song, but it also adjusts when lyrics come in and out of speakers based on how you conduct the car, according to TechCrunch, who tested out a vehicle with the technology at the CES conference.
Drivers will soon be able to experience the technology themselves as soon as mid-2024 as it is rolling out globally for Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Benz vehicles that are equipped with the second-generation MBUX system.
The technology will also help music fill the void of silence that’s present in electric vehicle vehicles due to the lack of an engine which typically makes noise while driving.
Sound Drive will be available through drivers’ infotainment screens that will connect to your car's hardware and use “precise ‘in-car signals’ that enable the music to react to the driving characteristics in real-time.” The feature can be downloaded once available globally via an over-the-air update.
Will.i.am has been partnering with Mercedes-AMG since mid-2021 on creative projects such as the GT 4-Door Hybrid campaign, AMG Uncovered, and the one-off vehicle WILL.I.AMG.
“I grew up in a ghetto. I grew up with hip hop. I watched legendary hip hop artist rap about Mercedes, so it was always a dream to own a Mercedes,” said Will.i.am in a 2022 announcement of WILL.I.AMG.
MBUX Sound Drive is the first collaboration from Will.i.am and Mercedes-Benz that consumers will be able to experience in their own cars.
Want to turbocharge your portfolio? Learn from the investing legends and get actionable insights. Start your Real Money Pro membership today.
