.This episode explores the evolving soundscape of electric vehicles (EVs) and how our creative team tackled the challenge of designing unique sounds for the R1S and R1T automotive audio experience.As more cars become electrified, the din of internal combustion engines is being replaced by a symphony of sonic branding. Beyond the safety sounds, we also redesigned familiar sounds like the lock chirp and turn signal, replacing traditional mechanical sounds with auditory cues from nature.
So in a sense, we implemented soundscape ecology into the habitat of the driving experience.
Dexter Garcia—Co-Founder & CSO, Audio UX®
Soundscape Ecology
Soundscape ecology can be defined as the acoustic environment of all life. The relationship between sounds made by humans, animals, and other organisms creates an entire ecosystem of sounds. Each species, in a sense, occupies a specific space of sound, which together shape the sound of the world.We used this inspiration to shape each section of the vehicle experience, from the external pedestrian warning systems to the in-vehicle Infotainment and tell-tale tones. Rivian now has an ecosystem of earcons built from sounds sourced from nature. Each user, including drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, will experience a purpose-built audio identity.You can stream the full episode below directly from Spotify or read more on