Bowers & Wilkins has partnered with the iconic Abbey Road Studios and Volvo Cars to revolutionize in-car audio with the introduction of an exclusive Abbey Road Studios sound mode in Volvo’s upcoming EX90 electric SUV. This collaboration brings together decades of expertise from both Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road Studios, aiming to deliver an unprecedented listening experience for drivers and passengers alike.

The relationship between Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road Studios is not new; it dates back to 1980 when the studio first adopted Bowers & Wilkins speakers for its control rooms. 

In recent years, Bowers & Wilkins has extended its influence to the automotive world by supplying high-quality sound systems to various Volvo models. This latest collaboration marks a new chapter, merging the heritage and technological prowess of all three brands.

“We are thrilled to work with Abbey Road Studios to elevate the in-car experience and bring drivers and passengers across the globe a new and exciting way to enjoy their music. I’m confident our combined expertise will prove to be game-changing for automotive entertainment,” said Dan Shepherd, vice president of licensing and partnerships for Bowers & Wilkins.

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Bowers & Wilkins to launch the Abbey Road Studios Mode. Through our shared passion for creative excellence and the highest quality audio, we aim to create the most authentic listening experiences possible for both artists and consumers,” said eremy Huffelman, general manager at Abbey Road Studios.

The Volvo EX90, set to launch in 2025, will be the first vehicle to feature the new Abbey Road Studios sound mode, which is designed to emulate the acoustics and sonic qualities of the legendary studio. The sound mode aims to recreate the studio’s unique environment, capturing the characteristics of its various live spaces and control rooms, along with the distinct tonality of Abbey Road’s vintage and modern equipment.

Central to the EX90’s sound experience is the advanced Bowers & Wilkins audio system, which includes 25 strategically positioned speakers throughout the car’s interior. 

These speakers encompass a range of Bowers & Wilkins’ proprietary technologies, such as Continuum cone midrange drivers, Nautilus double-dome tweeters, and Tweeter-on-Top technology—a feature visible on the dashboard, echoing the brand’s design philosophy seen in their high-end home loudspeakers.

The system supports Dolby Atmos, adding a surround sound dimension that enhances the listening experience by allowing sound to move freely around the cabin, replicating the spaciousness and immersion of a live studio environment. This integration of Dolby Atmos content aligns with Bowers & Wilkins’ goal of delivering high-fidelity audio that mirrors the studio’s quality.

The highlight of the collaboration, the Abbey Road Studios sound mode, is more than just a preset. It includes a customizable feature called Producer Mode, which allows users to adjust various audio settings, akin to how a sound engineer would manipulate acoustics in a studio.

This mode offers the ability to shift the acoustic profile from retro, vintage tones to a more modern sound, narrow or expand the stereo sound field, and adjust other parameters to fine-tune the listening experience. The user interface, redesigned for ease of access, allows drivers to switch between different acoustic environments and save their custom settings as presets.

One of the challenges the collaboration sought to address was overcoming the inherent acoustic limitations of the car environment. By leveraging real measurements taken from Abbey Road’s spaces, the sound mode aims to transport listeners into the studio, effectively bridging the gap between professional audio environments and in-car entertainment systems.

The Abbey Road Studios mode will be accessible to Volvo EX90 owners via an over-the-air software update in 2025. This update will be available at no extra cost for vehicles equipped with the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, reinforcing the partnership’s aim to offer cutting-edge audio technology without additional barriers.

While the initial launch is exclusive to the Volvo EX90, there are hints that the Abbey Road Studios sound mode could expand to other car models or manufacturers in the future.