Lucid Air Makes Up for EV Silence With Dolby Atmos-Equipped "Surreal Sound"

The California-based zero-emissions vehicle manufacturer has introduced its bespoke take on the high-end audio system at the event. Lucid even has a special name for it: Surreal Sound. Of course, it’s actually “designed to further enhance the luxury in-car experience of Lucid Air,” not for playing Ferrari V12 audio files through the “incredibly immersive audio system.”

Now, don’t say the idea didn’t cross your mind (like it happened to us) when hearing about the world’s first automotive integration of the Dolby Atmos technology. Either that or you were busy thinking about which recent blockbuster to enjoy in a bid to rekindle the immersive cinema experience we’ve been deprived of lately.

Let’s get back to business, though, because the Surreal Sound does come with other interesting technology tidbits. According to the company, it will arrive inside the Air electric limousine with a state-of-the-art DSP architecture, and no fewer than 21 speakers placed everywhere—even in an overhead position.

“We designed the Lucid Immersive Studio System to be like a recording studio. It can handle hundreds of sounds and sources simultaneously,” says Antonis Karalis, Senior Product Manager, Audio Infotainment. And there’s even a practical benefit of having such a powerful system on board.

For example, the car's actual sounds—a.k.a. signals, warnings, communication sounds—will go through the Surreal Sound system. And we already know some of the use case scenarios.

First up would be the usual startup and welcome routine, wherein the Air Dream Edition or Grand Touring (Surreal Sound is a standard fixture on these trims) will sound as if everything happens all around the driver. Then, if someone in the back seat doesn’t wear the safety belt, the sound will come precisely from the passenger's location, not from somewhere else.