Hyundai Mobis and US-based Krell Collaborate on 'Premium Sound', Win Red Dot Design Award

Brand & Communication Design Category Grand Prize

Hyundai Mobis' premium in-car sound brand, developed in collaboration with the US company KRELL, has won the German Red Dot Design Award. (Photo by Hyundai Mobis)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Mobis' premium in-car sound brand, developed in collaboration with the American high-end audio company 'KRELL,' has won the German Red Dot Design Award.

Hyundai Mobis announced on the 5th that the premium car audio brand KRELL received the main prize in the 'Brand & Communication Design' category at last year's German Red Dot Design Awards. The awarded content includes KRELL's brand video and website. It was highly praised for sensibly conveying KRELL's distinctiveness in a way that the public can understand.

The KRELL sound system, developed through a strategic partnership between Hyundai Mobis and KRELL in 2015, was first installed in the new K7 in 2016. Currently, it is applied to 13 Hyundai and Kia models, including Hyundai Palisade and Santa Fe, and Kia K9 and K7 Premier.

Hyundai Mobis implemented a native sound optimization system so that passengers enjoying music in the car can experience the vivid original sound of the audio source. KRELL reconstructs lost audio data and, with high-precision digital signal processing technology, allows for detailed sound quality adjustments, delivering excellent sound across the entire frequency range.

Hyundai Mobis showcased the future concept vehicle 'M.Vision S' equipped with the Krell sound system at CES 2020, the world's largest home appliance and IT exhibition held in the United States last month. (Photo by Hyundai Mobis)

The KRELL sound system was installed in Hyundai Mobis' future concept vehicle 'M.Vision S' showcased at CES 2020, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition held last month in the United States. The KRELL sound system in the M.Vision S uses virtual space touch technology to enable volume control with just hand gestures in autonomous driving mode. Passengers, who do not need to hold the steering wheel or watch the road ahead, can comfortably enjoy music.

Additionally, Hyundai Mobis set up a dedicated listening zone at this CES, allowing visitors to the exhibition booth to experience KRELL sound firsthand.

Lee Sung-hoon, Executive Director of Hyundai Mobis Vehicle Parts Sales Division, said, "As the era of autonomous driving fully begins, premium sound systems like KRELL, linked with connectivity systems, will receive even greater attention."

Meanwhile, the Red Dot Design Award is the world's largest design award organized by the Design Center of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Every year, it selects and announces the best designs in three categories: product design, brand & communication, and design concept. Last year, the brand & communication design category received 8,690 entries from 54 countries.