NIO to Offer Dolby Atmos Audio Technology Standard in the New ET7 Electric Sedan
【Summary】Tesla rival NIO Inc. will be the world's second automaker to offer Dolby Atmos audio technology in its latest electric vehicle, the ET7 sedan. NIO follows Lucid Group, which was the first automaker to include Dolby Atmos in the audio system of the Lucid Air sedan. Dolby Atmos technology debuted in 2012 and is normally associated with blockbuster Hollywood movie soundtracks.

Chinese electric vehicle startup and Tesla rival NIO Inc. will be the world's second automaker to offer Dolby Atmos audio technology in its latest electric vehicle, the ET7 sedan. NIO follows Lucid Group, which was the first automaker to include Dolby Atmos in the audio system of the Lucid Air sedan.
The audio systems in the ET7 will be a 7.1.4 channel immersive sound system, according to NIO.
Dolby Atmos technology, which made its debut in 2012, is normally associated with blockbuster Hollywood movie soundtracks. Atmos technology is being embraced by leading artists and music streaming services with a fully immersive listening experience that reveals revealing details with enhanced clarity and depth that's not possible with 2-channel stereo systems.
Atmos is also offered on many new TV soundbars that use upward firing speakers to create an immersive three-dimensional audio experience with sounds that appear to come from overhead, below or 360 degrees around the listener.
Most car audio systems use a standard 2-channel stereo setup with left and right speakers. A common setup in a 2-channel stereo audio system are left-right balance controls and a front to rear fader, which generally use 4, 6 or 8 speakers throughout the cabin. However, Dolby Atmos technology takes this a bit further by expanding the sound 360 degrees around the listener.
The 1,000 watt audio system in the ET7 uses a total of 23 speakers, including four speakers in the ceiling and a subwoofer. The four speakers next to each of the four primary seats known as three-way speakers, designed with a tweeter, a mid-range, and a woofer.
NIO Radio, an exclusive streaming music platform for NIO drivers similar to Spotify, will also support Dolby Atmos. The platform is an online interactive audio community for NIO customers. With the latest NIO OTA firmware update, NIO Radio became the world's first in-vehicle streaming service to offer 5.1 channel surround sound.
In the new Lucid Air, Dolby Atmos is integrated into the vehicle's "Surreal Sound" audio system. All of the Air's miscellaneous sounds and driver warnings have been created to take full advantage of the Atmos audio technology, according to Lucid. For example, if a rear passenger in the Air forgot to buckle their seat belt, the warning chime will come from where the passenger is seated.
Although the support of Dolby Atmos is relatively new in the auto industry, as modern vehicles become more advanced and capable of autonomous driving, Atmos technology can elevate the passenger experience. It can turn a vehicle into a mobile movie theater or concert hall with its immersive audio capabilities.
-
Lucid’s New ‘Stealth Look’ Appearance Package for the Electric Air Sedan Compliments its High Performance DNA
-
Toyota’s Redesigned Prius May Get More Drivers Behind the Wheel of a Hybrid Vehicle
-
Toyota to Collaborate With Texas-based Utility Provider Oncor to Accelerate a Vehicle-to-Grid EV Charging Ecosystem
-
Stellantis to Idle its Illinois Assembly Plant Indefinitely, Citing the High Costs of Electric Vehicles
-
Apple Delays its Long Rumored Electric ‘Apple Car’ Until 2026, According to Sources
-
The World’s First Level-4 Automated Parking Feature Developed by Mercedes-Benz and Bosch is Approved for Commercial Use
-
Hyundai Motor Group Signs MoU with SK On Co. to Secure Batteries for EVs Built in the U.S.
-
Tesla May Build its Next Factory in South Korea, According to the Country’s Presidential Office
- Tesla Shutters its San Mateo, CA Office, Lays Off Roughly 200 Autopilot Staff Without Notice
- EV Startup Fisker Inc. Hires BMW Exec as Senior VP of Manufacturing, Aims to Build One Million EVs a Year by 2027
- Volkswagen Breaks Ground on the First of Six European Battery Cell Factories as Part of a $20 Billion Investment
- Prices For Used EVs Continue to Rise as Gas Cars Drop
- Ford CFO Claims Inflation Has Erased Mustang Mach-E Profits
- NHTSA Opens Investigations Into Two New Fatal Tesla Accidents
- Mercedes-Benz Signs MoU With the Government of Canada to Source the Raw Materials for Electric Vehicle Batteries
- Shares of Volvo’s EV Brand Polestar to Begin Trading on the NASDAQ After Closing on its SPAC Deal With Gores Guggenheim
- Apple Delays its Long Rumored Electric ‘Apple Car’ Until 2026, According to Sources
- Volvo-backed EV Battery Maker Northvolt, Founded by Former Tesla Execs, Raises Another $1.1 Billion to Help Fund its Expansion