Ford And Harman Team Up As Survey Finds In-Car Audio A Deal Breaker For Buyers

Ford customers who love their in-car audio entertainment are in for a treat, as the carmaker announces a new partnership with Harman set to kick off next year.

The pair will introduce the ‘B&O Play’ system to Ford’s global line-up, promising to “revolutionise the in-vehicle audio experience”.

B&O Play will be tuned differently to suit each Ford model, with consideration given to speaker placement and calibration.

Ford regards the partnership as more than just an improvement to interior quality, saying audio brands are now influencing buyer decisions in the new car market.

The carmaker references a 2016 Automotive Audio Branding survey from Ipsos which found around 33 percent of respondents considered in-car audio branding would have a “significant” impact on their purchasing decisions. 

“Customers tell us they value consistent, high-quality audio experiences, and our collaboration with Harman is helping provide that,” Ford’s Raj Nair said.

“This is just one of the ways we are creating richer, more engaging in-vehicle experiences for customers.”

Surveys