The new electric Mercedes-AMG GT SUV offers an optional Burmester High-End 4D Surround Sound System. The “4D” part means drivers in the seats that vibrate in time with the music. In AMGForce Sport+ mode, the seats also shake along with a simulated V8 rumble.
Sound familiar? It should. AuraSound launched the Bass Shaker for car audio in 1994. Installers were bolting them under seats across North America soon after, and Alpine sold its own version in the mid 90s, the Bass Engine.
That same year, Aura took the tech to gamers with the Interactor, a vibrating backpack for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis that let players feel every punch and explosion. It’s often called the first commercial haptic suit. Gamers mostly hated it, but the idea stuck. Today, bass shakers are a staple on gaming chairs and sim racing rigs.
We’re not saying Aura is building parts for Mercedes. But feeling the bass through your seat started in the aftermarket more than 30 years ago. It went from gaming chairs to the driver’s seat of a 1,169 hp luxury SUV.
What it means for dealers: When a carmaker like Mercedes-AMG puts tactile bass into a flagship, customers start asking for it. A pair of bass shakers under the front seats is a quick, affordable add-on for any system install. It’s also a smart upsell for customers who want more bass but have no room for a subwoofer, like EV and truck owners. If you had Bass Shakers in your Civic in 1995, congratulations. You were three decades ahead of Mercedes-Benz.
Source: In-Car Magazine
Get the news before your competitors do. CEoutlook is the daily brief read by over 6,500 dealers, reps and manufacturers across the mobile electronics industry. Subscribe free.
