Sound technology to serve as a road-trip peacekeeper

A new electronic approach to help keep the peace on family road trips was offered up by audio company Harman at CES this year.

Their Individual Sound Zone technology uses a combination of directional speakers and noise-cancellation technology to divide the cabin into individual listening areas. The idea is to let everybody enjoy his or her own music choices, movies, and private phone conversations.

Each seating position gets a small speaker mounted overhead and two more in the headrests to do the magic. These work in combination with the stereo speakers typically found in doors and other interior panels. Sound is amplified or cancelled out for each seating position as needed, letting everyone cruise along in their own little sonic zone.

We found that the Individual Sound Zone technology worked reasonably well in the Lexus GS sedan Harman brought to Las Vegas for the consumer electronics show. Even in the confines of the snug GS interior, the system clearly showed the potential to spare passengers from having to listen to navigation instructions for the driver, or limit the suffering when Uncle Ned wants to chat on phone. Unless, of course, everybody wants to talk to Ned, in which case the call can be broadcast to the entire cabin, or passed around between the zones to ease the pain.

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That said, don't expect to avoid talkative relatives no matter where you sit, or to totally tune out the musical choices of your carpool partners. Still, Individual Sound Technology seems like a good idea.

And as Harman reps were quick to point out, it will likely be more impressive in a larger vehicle. As for avoiding sibling back seat territorial wars, it may help. But odds are, probably not.

Harman says the technology is ready for prime time now, but the company is mum on when it might see production.

—Jim Travers

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