With the advent of self-driving cars, there will be less need for passengers to focus on the traffic, allowing more time to be spent on work, entertainment, or relaxation. As passengers’ expectations for the automotive environment evolve, the ability to create a customized, quiet setting with an accompanying premium listening experience will become a key differentiator for the in-cabin user experience.
As a total solution provider for the in-vehicle sound environment, AKM has provided premium sound technology used in cars around the world for more than 20 years. The company’s launch of the new AK7709VQ DSP takes the field of active premium sound to the next level and further boosts the potential for a natural and immersive in-vehicle sound experience.
The AK7709VQ multicore DSP was conceived as a powerful platform for next-generation in-vehicle sound design, enabling the real-time large-scale computational processing required to provide an immersive sound experience for passengers, advanced driving sound design and even real-time challenges in advanced noise cancellation and acoustic processing. This powerful low-latency, 7000 MIPS/32-bit DSP also enables support for the highest-resolution audio formats, and includes 8 stereo and 4 monaural sampling rate converters supporting sampling frequencies up to 192kHz. These 20 channels of asynchronous hardware sample rate conversion (ASRC) allow support of flexible digital inputs/outputs to and from many digital sources and endpoints.
With its processing capability and 2.75 MB of integrated memory, the AK7709VQ performs real-time high-resolution audio processing for multi-channel speaker arrays, enabling a quiet cabin with immersive, incredibly detailed music playback. Additionally, the two integrated HiFi 4 DSP cores support various third-party software.
With high sample rate multi-microphone voice processing, the AK7709VQ also allows for hands-free and in-car communication and is able to process multiple sample rates simultaneously. This is ideal for full bandwidth audio and voice processing. This simultaneous processing is enabled because the two types of DSPs can work on different but synchronized sampling frequencies. The AK7709VQ is a RAM based DSP, so it can be freely programmed for user requirements, such as acoustic effects and proprietary high-performance hands-free function.
In addition, AKM has applied its acclaimed audio PCB design expertise to develop a sound design demo board combining the new DSP with the AK4499EXEQ, AKM’s flagship 135dB SNR digital audio converter (DAC). This system (pictured above) demonstrates immersive in-vehicle sound and can be experienced by customers in demo cars at the company’s Garage Labs in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Additional AKM Garage Labs will make this experience available in North America and Europe in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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