Roland's Single Knob Synth for Cars

ZZ_FOS2015 from GLM on Vimeo.
ZZ First Glance - Goodwood Festival of Speed 2015

What you are looking at is an actual synthesizer for cars, specifically for the GLM Model ZZ electric sports car in the video above and pictured below. Electric cars do not have traditional engines that produce the rumble you translate into raw power so the audio has to come from somewhere. In this case it will be coming from Roland's SuperNATURAL synthesizer engine. Hopefully they'll make an iPad editor for it so you can program in your own sounds. :) Map the pedals, wipers, windows, turn signals, etc. to different MIDI CC values and you are good to go, freaking this shit out of people. Imagine that? No wobble bass please...

The official press release:

"Japanese Auto Maker and Musical Instrument Manufacturer Partner to Co-Develop Electric Sports Car Driving Sound

Roland and GLM creating neo-futuristic driving sound system using world-leading synthesizer technology

Hamamatsu, Japan, August 18, 2015 — Roland Corporation and GLM Co., Ltd., have announced an agreement to co-develop a neo-futuristic driving sound generation system for GLM’s electric sports car. In this unprecedented collaboration between the world’s leading electronic musical instrument maker and the manufacturer of Japan’s first mass-marketed electric sports car, the driving sound system will be designed using Roland’s renowned SuperNATURAL® synthesizer technology.

Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Page, George Duke and many more of the world’s most talented musicians have relied on Roland synthesizers to create music. The new driving sound system for GLM’s ZZ model will use this same professional synthesizer technology to produce sonically rich, studio-quality sounds. In addition to refined sound quality, the system will have the ability to change with each driver’s real-time driving experiences. GLM and Roland are committed to creating a driving sound generation system that provides a one-of-a-kind driving experience that rivals anything currently on the market.

Roland’s innovative SuperNATURAL* synthesizer technology will power the ZZ model’s sound generation system with dynamic and dramatic sounds that seamlessly change depending on real-time driving situations like acceleration, deceleration, and motor load variances on sloping roads. This exclusive technology is based on responsiveness, which is especially important when recreating the subtleties of acoustic musical instruments electronically. That same technology will be used to create ingenious neo-futuristic sounds that will give sports car enthusiasts the experience of driving a space ship on the road. Electric sports cars are more popular now than ever, and as environmental concerns escalate, some drivers are learning to appreciate quieter electric engines. Driving sounds are still crucial for many, however ­– especially drivers of high-performance vehicles and those who want to have a fun and fulfilling driving experience.

For decades, the industry standard for reproducing the sound of traditional musical instruments was PCM sampling. The challenge with sampling is that most acoustic instruments respond differently to how hard they are struck, blown or bowed – most acoustic instruments grow brighter as they get louder, for example. By meticulously modeling the subtle characteristics and responsiveness of acoustic instrument sounds, Roland was able to create the most realistic electronic music sounds. Roland’s SuperNATURAL technology makes it possible to recreate these nuances electronically, and will be used to create the best driving sounds possible in the electric sports car.

Main features of the Roland sound generation system:

Generates driving sounds depending on the driving situation (e.g. acceleration, deceleration, and motor load variances)
Roland’s acclaimed SuperNATURAL synthesizer technology is used to synthesize dynamic, neo-futuristic sounds, then reproduce them through the car’s stereo speakers
Driving situations are detected by the system in real time through a car-mounted network that measures the car’s speed, pressure on the accelerator pedal, and load to the power system
Drivers can select from several driving sound types based on their personal preference, including neo-futuristic options
The driving sound system option for GLM’s ZZ model featuring Roland’s sound-making technology will be available this fall.

*Adapted sound engine of Roland’s flagship digital synthesizer."