The Auto Industry Invests an Absurd Amount in Using Sounds to Subconsciously Trick You Into Liking Their Cars

For those who don’t work in the technical side of automotive production, there are probably a lot of things that we take for granted. Even those of us who are incredibly mechanically inclined probably don’t think about every last process happening while driving. Most drivers just simply get into a vehicle, turn the key, and go without wondering about all of the time investment that has gone into making their vehicle perfect.

Now that they bring it up, though, we’re kind of wondering what sorts of lengths automotive designers will go to in order to make sure that their product stands out. At the end of the day, the automotive industry is one with a ton of competition. Every last advantage that an automaker can get is one that you can bet your bottom dollar they’re going to take. Otherwise, the competition is sure to take advantage and surge out ahead in sales.

This time, we dive into a nuance of driving a car that not a lot of people are thinking about. When it comes to the sounds that a vehicle makes, most people probably hear the exhaust note and stop there. However, the process for a sound engineer goes far beyond that.

Those responsible for making the most of their offerings have jobs that pick apart every last detail of sound all the way down to the tone that the door makes when it opens and shuts. When we really stop to think about it, a solid door sound is the first impression that somebody gets when they approach a car. While it might not be something that we think about in detail, automakers seem to be under the impression that this sound will subconsciously change someone’s opinion of the car.

Below, we dial ourselves into the interesting process of how every last sound is made perfect. At the end of the day, it’s kind of hard to put a number on just how many sales these metrics will add. However, we can definitely see the logic behind making sure that they are just right.