HARMAN Ties Up with Dirac for Automotive Technology

Sources say that HARMAN has collaborated with Dirac Research AB, an audio technology firm specializing in high-performance digital sound optimization in an effort to extend Dirac’s digital audio solutions and outstanding tuning technology to HARMAN’s best-in-class automotive infotainment and audio system applications. Through this strategic collaboration, HARMAN will also become a global distributor of Dirac’s sound technologies to automotive sound system suppliers and automakers, bringing together the company’s legacy of first-class audio and Dirac’s mission to develop technologies for the best sound experience.

The partnership builds on HARMAN’s existing collaboration with Dirac, which supplies the Bowers & Wilkins premium in-car surround system for the Volvo XC90 with Dirac’s state-of-the-art digital audio technologies to improve the in-car entertainment experience for consumers and help carmakers differentiate and upgrade their sound systems across car lines and brands.

In a statement, Michael Mauser, Executive Vice President and President, Lifestyle Audio at HARMAN, commented that Dirac continues to be a leader in the development of audio quality optimization technologies, and they are delighted to integrate their outstanding solutions with HARMAN’s premium audio systems to being best-in-class audio to their automotive partners globally. He added that incorporating Dirac technologies into HARMAN’s products would further create great lifestyle experiences for today’s connected generation through superior automotive audio and infotainment systems.

Mathias Johansson, CEO of Dirac, said that HARMAN has become the leading audio and infotainment provider for automotive applications, and they are delighted to work closely together and add their digital audio solutions to the most captivating automotive audio portfolio in the globe. “The team at Dirac will be fully vested in developing new digital audio solutions for the automotive market segment as we collaborate with HARMAN to bring the highest level of value and innovation to the most sophisticated automotive environments.”

Thanks to the collaboration, HARMAN automotive partners will now have a chance to license Dirac’s advanced technologies for sound optimization directly within eligible models, including active room treatment, sound field synthesis and room correction. Moreover, HARMAN will work closely with Dirac R&D engineers to guarantee smooth integration of Dirac’s existing and new technologies into automotive audio and infotainment system applications.