- Porsche has patented a new audio system using GaN semiconductors.
- These advanced GaN chips are smaller and run cooler than traditional chips.
- The first Porsche production car with this new audio system will land in 2027.
As car manufacturers have sought to improve the music-listening experience in their cars, many have resorted to simply adding more speakers. Some cars now leave the factory with more than 30 speakers, and in the case of the Nio ES9, it features an extraordinary 47 speakers, the most of any current production car.
Others are looking to boost the audio in their future cars in a different way. Working in partnership with the University of Stuttgart, Porsche has developed a new sound system feature using gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors. The setup, which has already been patented, will hit the market next year.
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Gallium nitride chips are most commonly used in USB chargers, allowing the devices to be smaller, waste less energy, and run cooler than traditional chargers with silicon-based chips. For speakers, Porsche is using GaN semiconductors to reduce energy losses and minimize heat, which means it can make heat sinks roughly 20 percent lighter.
Not only does this make the amplifier lighter and more compact, but it also allows passive components to be reduced in size. In addition, GaN-based semiconductor switches, or transistors, enable higher switching frequencies and have considerably lower switching losses. By reducing the amount of aluminum required for the heat sinks, Porsche can also cut CO2 emissions during production.
Coming To The Market Soon
The GaN technology will first be used in the Burmester 3D High-End Surround Sound System used by several Porsche models, and the new chips will handle the voltage conversion required to power the 400-watt subwoofer amplifier. Work on the new technology began in mid-2023, and GaN chips could be used for other applications in the future.
“GaN is ideal wherever power is converted,” Porsche’s Strategic Semiconductor Management boss Dr. Lars Heuken said. “Many fields of application are conceivable in Porsche sports cars, and we are investigating them in more detail. For example, the semiconductor can be used for power conversion in high-voltage systems. This makes GaN particularly interesting for the high-voltage systems of electric sports cars, for instance. Quality and tangible customer benefits are at the heart of all our considerations.”
