Bentley is taking its electric car experience to the next level.
As if driving an electric Bentley wasn’t luxe enough, the carmaker now wants to customize the music you listen to while driving it, too. This isn’t a playlist; this is original music made possible by a tech company called LifeScore. Its algorithms compose music based on data collected about your Bentley while you drive it.
LifeScore isn’t available yet; it’s expected to launch inside Bentley’s first electric vehicle, which is slated to launch in 2025.
How It Works
Bentley and LifeScore collect data from car components like engine speed and throttle input and turn that information into algorithms that influence a musical composition “in real time.” By design, the car (and presumably every other car in the world), is making music while in motion. With LifeScore, that “music” is captured and is made into other music while you drive.
“Every journey results in a real time user experience that is deeply personalised,” the carmaker said in a statement. “The signals from the vehicle create a unique sonic soundscape that responds to how and where the vehicle is being driven and under what conditions. Rather than listening to music to distract from travel, the vehicle is now able to compose an instrumental soundtrack to engage with the journey.”
LifeScore recorded its sound library at the famous Abbey Road Studios. It then takes the car’s unique “music” and matches it with sounds from the library — it’s pretty massive — containing more than 100 billion unique music track possibilities.
“The composers and musicians create building blocks (cells) of raw musical material, which the vehicle then selects, combines, layers and sequences together to produce the final music in real time. The result is endless varying renditions that can be unique on every listen for long durations without sounding repetitive or synthetic.”
The goal of the unique music is a soundtrack for the driver that adapts to “the ever-changing driving conditions and the driver’s style — from relaxed grand touring to energetic, spirited driving on dynamic roads.”
The Bentley EV
Bentley has yet to launch a fully electric vehicle. Last November it announced plans to launch its first EV in 2025 — five years ahead of its plans to convert all of its vehicles to electric by 2030. It does offer a hybrid vehicle currently, the recently revamped Bentayga.
The luxury carmaker’s first EV will be linked to the Audi Artemis project, which is also developing EV models for Porsche.
Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark told CAR Magazine that Artemis is helping the brand get in on the tech in the beginning phases of electric vehicles. “The difference now is that with Artemis we’re right in there at the beginning, helping define it. We’re not leading it, but we’re going to be a beneficiary of it,” he said.
“Looking forward to electrification, we’re going to have closer synergies with Audi. But we will continue to have strong relationships with both brands [Audi and Porsche], and we see this as an opportunity, not a risk. No question – we are electrifying. And we need to find the best way to fast-track that, and to lead the technology charge.”
For Bentley, leading that tech charge comes with a soundtrack, too — a live composition of instrumental music made in real-time, “enhancing the emotional experience of every journey.”
Prefer your own soundtrack? Check out the Ethos Summer Playlist.
