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30. September 2025
Unleashing Sound Revolution: Huaweis Cutting-Edge Acoustics Lab Revs Up Automotive Industry
Huawei’s Acoustics Lab: Where Automotive Sound Engineering Meets Science
Tucked away in a nondescript building on the outskirts of Shanghai, Huawei’s Acoustics R&D Centre is a hub of innovation that’s pushing the boundaries of automotive sound engineering. The facility, which has been developing its audio expertise since 2012, boasts three state-of-the-art testing environments and a team of experts who are redefining the in-car audio experience.
The sprawling open space filled with row upon row of technical equipment, including anechoic chambers, semi-anechoic rooms, and dedicated listening rooms, is a testament to Huawei’s commitment to investing in its acoustic research efforts. Technical specifications reveal the sheer scale of the facility.
At the heart of Huawei’s automotive sound engineering efforts is Goller, a seasoned audio expert with a background that includes positions at Gamut Audio, Bang & Olufsen, and Harman International. Speaking in one of the listening rooms during a tour of the facility, Goller outlined Huawei’s development philosophy: the aim is to faithfully reproduce recordings as artists intended them to be heard, creating what he described as a “phantom effect” that transports listeners to the original recording environment.
“This requires combining scientific acoustic measurement with artistic tuning expertise and purpose-built hardware,” Goller explained. “The technical process starts with objective measurements – frequency response curves, phase relationships, timing behaviour, and distortion characteristics. These establish the performance boundaries. From there, extensive subjective listening sessions refine the voicing using psychoacoustic principles to compensate for the cabin’s inherent acoustic challenges: asymmetry, close-range reflections, and bass loading.”
The goal is to work within these constraints while remaining faithful to the source material. This approach has resulted in the development of the HUAWEI SOUND ULTIMATE Series, the tech giant’s most luxurious audio system to date, currently deployed in the Maextro S800 luxury electric sedan.
The HUAWEI SOUND ULTIMATE Series is a marvel of engineering, featuring 43 speakers driven by dual amplifiers delivering 2,920 watts total power. What Huawei terms an “industry-first seat-specific 4D immersive surround sound experience” includes rear 4D exciters that synchronise with music and video content, adding tactile feedback to the auditory experience.
One of the most impressive features of the system is the rotation of conventional door-woofer geometry by 90 degrees using a patented Tangential Force Woofer. This innovation reduces panel resonance while extending bass response, creating a more immersive listening experience. The Crystal Star-Ring Diffuser rises automatically when occupants enter, integrating with rhythm-synchronised ambient lighting while improving central image precision – Huawei claims 30% greater sound uniformity compared to the previous generation.
The spatial audio implementation uses 10 overhead channels, adaptive sound-field control, and what Huawei describes as a proprietary spatial audio track model for positioning and clarity. Interestingly, the system integrates with HarmonyOS, extending beyond pure audio into what Huawei calls “sound-to-light” technology – AI-powered ambient lighting that responds to musical content in real-time.
The most technically ambitious feature of the system is the independent sound-zone technology. Each of the four headrests integrates four drivers – two tweeters and two midrange units. Combined with Huawei’s sound-field control algorithms, the main speaker array can function as an active silencer, targeting audio spillage between front and rear rows.
Huawei claims up to 30dB isolation between rows and 99% energy separation. During a demonstration, front passengers listened to classical music while rear passengers watched an action film, with minimal audible crosstalk. Whether these figures hold across different program material and at higher volumes remains to be tested in real-world conditions.
Huawei disclosed substantial R&D spending: CNY 179.7 billion (approximately £20 billion / €23.4 billion) in 2024, representing 20.8% of total revenue, with over 113,000 employees in R&D roles. The company states that approximately CNY 60 billion (roughly £6.6 billion / €7.8 billion) goes specifically to fundamental science research.
These numbers contextualise Huawei’s automotive sound engineering ambitions. The company currently supplies solutions to over twenty automakers, spanning driver assistance, cockpit systems, acoustics, and control. However, Huawei positions itself as a component supplier – individual automakers determine market availability and regional launches.
The automotive sound engineering landscape has traditionally been dominated by established European brands. Huawei’s systematic approach – purpose-built testing facilities, recruited expertise from legacy audio companies, and significant capital investment – represents a challenge to that established order.
The question isn’t whether Huawei can build impressive technology demonstrations. The Maextro S800 system clearly works. The question is whether this level of sophistication translates to broader production volumes, across multiple vehicle platforms, at commercially viable price points.
Goller’s stated goal is “optimum reproduction of the recording – to bring us closer to the experience the artist intended.” It’s a standard audiophile objective, but one that automotive sound engineering has historically struggled to achieve given the constraints of the environment.
After experiencing both the laboratory facilities and the in-car system, Huawei’s program appears methodologically sound. The combination of measurement-driven development and subjective tuning refinement represents standard practice in high-end audio, adapted for automotive contexts.
Whether this translates to market success depends on factors beyond acoustic performance: production scalability, supply chain integration with diverse automakers, and ultimately, whether consumers value independent sound zones and advanced tuning enough to pay premium prices.
Huawei has built the technical foundation. The commercial proof will emerge as these systems move from flagship demonstrations into broader automotive lineups.
As I left the Acoustics R&D Centre, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement about the potential for Huawei’s sound engineering innovations to transform the automotive industry. With its commitment to investing in fundamental science research and hiring top talent from legacy audio companies, Huawei is well-positioned to challenge the established order in automotive sound engineering.
The future of automotive sound engineering looks bright, with Huawei at the forefront of innovation. Whether this will translate to market success remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – Huawei’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in audio technology will continue to inspire and influence the industry for years to come.