The next luxury addon to Range Rover: Car seat that vibrates to the beat of music
Many automakers surround you with speakers to create immersive sound, but Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) believes your seat can play a role, too. The new Range Rover Sport SV Edition One features Subpac-powered “Body and Soul Seat” technology (aptly BASS), with headrest-mounted diaphragms and transducers that provide tactile feedback in response to the low frequencies of your music. Whether you’re a driver or a passenger, you’ll feel the rhythm of dance or rap music.
The system complements the Range Rover Sport’s 29-speaker Meridian sound setup, which already includes a subwoofer, but Jaguar Land Rover and Subpac also claim the vibrations can improve your health with six wellness programs. The companies cite JLR-backed research that shows BASS can help you relax and reduce stress by increasing heart rate variability. Provided it holds up in the real world, this might be a luxury SUV if you want to relax on the way home.
The Range Rover Sport SV Edition One has already sold out in its first year. You can sign up to receive notifications about other SV trim levels, and there are hints that BASS will be more widely available in the future.
While this seat works well, it’s just the beginning for the Subpac. The company is pitching its combination of touch and bone conduction to movie theaters, music producers, VR simulator creators and gamers, and has a Flow platform that can make seats and wearables vibrate (like Lofelt’s Basslet). The company also plans to venture into aviation and public health. Don’t be surprised if haptic sound finds its way into most of the devices you buy and use, even if it’s limited to premium products.
