Sonos has partnered with Audi to equip the carmaker’s Q4 E-Tron with sound, a first for the California-based audio company best known for speakers. The news was confirmed on Tuesday by Sonos CEO Patrick Spence after Audi published images of the inside of the Q4 E-Tron showing the Sonos logo. Protocol was first to report the transaction.
On Tuesday, Audi released a series of shots showing the inside of its next EV, the Q4 E-Tron. While the German carmaker highlights its new replica exhibition for augmented reality, others take note of the Sonos logo, despite the fact that the collaboration is not mentioned in the press release.
“We want to be sound in all the different categories, and a lot of that is automated,” Spence said during the Q&A of a scheduled investor event. “Our first partnership to bring Audi’s audio experience to cars is with Audi.” Sonos CEO and former CEO of RIM said more details about the Audi partnership will be shared soon, presumably during the Q4 E-Tron launch event in April.
With the announcement, Sonos joins a long list of audio companies that have made the leap to cars, including Bose, Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen. The partnerships are seen as a way for home audio companies to diversify revenue streams, and for automakers to use brands known for premium audio to influence your buying decision.
The news follows Tuesday’s launch of Sonos’ most portable speaker to date, the $ 169 Sonos Roam. According to Sonos, he is also working on headphones as the company broadens its focus from audio for the whole house to audio wherever you want it.