ITWire

Other sounds that do well in consumer preference testing do not meet the standard for eliciting the proper driver response, such as the soft, electronic beat sound "Techno01", similar to club music around the world. "Techno01" did well in the subjective studies but was not audible enough to cut through the car's background sounds.

Others couldn't overcome a generational divide, such as the "Youth Scratch" sound so loved by Generation Y. Ford discovered that it appealed to younger drivers, but not to older drivers.

Finding the right universal sound that works for all drivers is a challenging objective and one that transcends geographic boundaries.

"Ford has an extensive process for developing sounds just as a conductor brings together different instruments to make a single sound," said Alex Petniunas, technical expert for Sound Quality.

"But the goal of our sounds is not to entertain you; it's to help make sure you respond quickly to the driving environment that can change instantly."

Because sensory perception and preferences vary around the globe, Ford also tests some sounds in different regions to develop uniform cues that work in specific consumer markets.

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