idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
The 3D audio technology SpatialSound Wave, developed by Fraunhofer IDMT, now delivers an impressive spatial sound experience in all Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the latest generation of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system. Music, voices and sound events no longer appear close to the loudspeakers, but unfold as an immersive, three-dimensional soundscape throughout the entire vehicle interior. Even conventional stereo music content becomes spatially perceptible. The intensity of this spatial sound can be individually adjusted.
With the integration of Fraunhofer technology, Mercedes-Benz is introducing an innovative approach to spatial audio reproduction in vehicles equipped with the 4th generation of the MBUX infotainment system. The launch starts with the new models Mercedes-Benz CLA, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Mercedes-Benz GLB and Mercedes-Benz S-Class; additional model series will follow.
The market launch of the 3D audio technology across the vehicle lineup of the renowned German automotive manufacturer was celebrated last Friday, February 27, 2026, at an exclusive premiere event in Erfurt, the capital of the German federal state of Thuringia. Representatives from Thuringian state politics, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, guests from business and the automotive industry, as well as numerous daily and trade media gathered at Zentralheize Erfurt to experience the new sound performance in the CLA and GLC firsthand.
High-profile guests included Thuringian Minister for Education, Science and Culture Christian Tischner, Fraunhofer President Holger Hanselka, and Head of Development Ingolf Franke from Mercedes-Benz AG, as well as Lutz Häußler, Head of Development at Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH.
“What was developed here in Ilmenau impressively demonstrates how cutting-edge research directly reaches people’s everyday lives – enriching and enhancing them,” emphasized Christian Tischner in his welcoming address.
Professor Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, also highlighted the successful technology transfer: “For more than twenty years, Fraunhofer IDMT has stood for internationally recognized expertise in audio technology. The success story of SpatialSound Wave clearly shows how professionally and entrepreneurially the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft systematically translates research results into economic and societal impact – from scientific excellence to a finished automotive application.”
+++ Spatial sound in all equipment variants – from the Mercedes-Benz standard audio system to the Burmester high-end sound system +++
The new spatial sound experience is available in all vehicles equipped with premium or high-end Burmester sound systems, as well as in all Mercedes-Benz vehicles featuring the fourth generation of the MBUX infotainment system.
The Fraunhofer 3D sound algorithm can be easily integrated into existing vehicle and sound systems, transforming every vehicle interior into an immersive listening space – regardless of the installed sound system.
+++ Freely adjustable spatial sound turns vehicles into individual listening spaces +++
An intuitive control allows users to individually adjust the acoustic spatial enhancement of stereo audio such as music streaming, radio programs or audiobooks – from subtle to distinctly spatial. As the control level increases, the perceived soundstage inside the vehicle expands. Audio objects detach perceptually from the loudspeakers, creating a unique spatial sound experience.
“Thanks to our technology, every journey in a Mercedes-Benz becomes a unique sound experience – from an intimate club concert with subtle room acoustics to an epic concert with a wide stage and remarkable depth perception,” explains Fraunhofer IDMT Head of Development Christoph Sladeczek.
For Mercedes-Benz, the collaboration with Fraunhofer IDMT represents an important step toward offering customers an even more refined sound experience. The goal is to create moments of well-being – from energizing and motivating to relaxing and calming. Fraunhofer IDMT’s 3D audio technology provides the perfect complement to evoke precisely these emotions and create "goosebump" moments.
+++ From the concert stage to the car: 3D sound optimized for automotive use +++
Since the early 2000s, Fraunhofer IDMT has successfully developed audiophile solutions for spatial sound reinforcement in live event environments and professional audio applications, including music theaters and opera houses, planetariums, open-air stages and recording studios.
As vehicles increasingly become experiential spaces and high-quality sound systems play a growing role in purchasing decisions, Fraunhofer IDMT began its automotive activities in 2007. The aim was to further develop 3D sound at an early stage to meet the requirements of the global automotive industry.
Together with Mercedes-Benz and Burmester, the 3D sound algorithm was specifically adapted from 2021 onward for use in Mercedes vehicles – particularly with regard to computing power, installation space and integration costs. “We had to integrate the algorithm into existing processors and make it significantly more efficient, since an enormous number of audio and vehicle functions run simultaneously in the car,” recalls acoustic expert Christoph Sladeczek.
Close cooperation with the sound experts at Burmester was also crucial. In addition to technical optimization and integration, the ultimate goal was to create an exceptionally intense listening experience inside the vehicle.
In 2025, the breakthrough came when the algorithm was successfully integrated for the first time into the sound systems of the fully electric Mercedes-Benz CLA.
+++ New: SpatialSound Wave becomes “Audiofields” +++
At the premiere event in Erfurt, Fraunhofer IDMT also announced the renaming of its 3D sound technology to “Audiofields.”
“The renaming marks an important step in the further development and positioning of our 3D audio technology for in-car interior sound systems,” explains Christoph Sladeczek.
The object-based rendering technology Audiofields fundamentally revolutionizes the way users interact with in-car audio systems. Fraunhofer IDMT is already working on new applications that go far beyond the spatial playback of music and audio content. These include the precise placement of signal and operating sounds within the vehicle, spatially active sound design for a more emotional and personalized driving experience, and directionally accurate acoustic warnings.
Christoph Sladeczek christoph.sladeczek@idmt.fraunhofer.de
https://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/en/Press_and_Media/press_releases/2026/mercedes-b...
https://background-information-spatial-sound-fraunhofer-3d-audio-technology-audi... Information about Fraunhofer IDMT's 3D sound technology and new application possibilities in vehicles.
(from left) Christian Tischner, Thuringian Minister of Education, Science and Culture; Joachim Bös, ...
Source: Benjamin Weber
Copyright: Benjamin Weber
With an intuitive interface, the acoustics of the interior of Mercedes-Benz vehicles can be adjusted ...
Source: Benjamin Weber
Copyright: Benjamin Weber
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(from left) Christian Tischner, Thuringian Minister of Education, Science and Culture; Joachim Bös, ...
Source: Benjamin Weber
Copyright: Benjamin Weber
With an intuitive interface, the acoustics of the interior of Mercedes-Benz vehicles can be adjusted ...
Source: Benjamin Weber
Copyright: Benjamin Weber
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