Unfortunately, the weight and cost of the suspension made it unsuitable for production
1 hour ago
- Bose used its speaker expertise to create a suspension system that eliminates body movement.
- The Skunkworks team spent 24 years developing the system but never made it into production.
- Bose has kept Project Sound so secretive that even its accounting department doesn’t know about it.
In fact, 20 years ago, Bose—the company best known for its noise-canceling headphones and high-end speakers—launched an advanced electromagnetic system that did exactly the same thing.
Bose uses some similar technology in its speakers. It purchased two Lexus LS models and equipped one with an advanced electromagnetic motor powered by a power amplifier and switches. This system adapts the suspension to specific road conditions and smooths out every bump and imperfection in the road.
A technology demonstration in 2004 showed the world how advanced the system was. While the regular Lexus LS rolls heavily in corners, the LS with the Bose suspension stays completely flat. It works particularly well in undulating situations, keeping the body perfectly stable even when the wheels shake violently.
While the technology is undoubtedly impressive, it has a fatal flaw: practicality. Unfortunately, the system was bulky and expensive, making it unsuitable for production cars. Eventually, Bose had to shelve the project and pivot. Instead of suspending a car, they used the technology to create the Bose Ride, an active suspension seat designed for commercial truck drivers—perhaps not as exciting as a jump sedan, but arguably more useful.
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