Dirac Debuts Immersive Venue-Based Acoustics Technologies in Third-Generation NIO ES8
September 25, 2025
- Real acoustic measurements from iconic concert halls and studios recreate lifelike sound in every seat – measured, mapped, and reproduced for the ultimate in-car audio experience.
- Introduced on September 20 in Hangzhou, China at NIO Day 2025, the ES8 features Dirac’s breakthrough reference room mode and Dirac Dimensions technologies.
UPPSALA, Sweden, September 25, 2025 — Swedish digital audio pioneer Dirac and electric vehicle innovator NIO today announced that Dirac’s most advanced in-car audio technologies – reference room mode and Dirac Dimensions – are featured in the all-new third-generation NIO ES8. This collaboration sets a new standard for in-car sound, giving passengers an acoustically authentic experience where every note and reflection is reproduced with lifelike precision throughout the ES8 cabin.
This collaboration sets a new benchmark for in-car audio, enabled by Dirac’s reference room mode – which leverages real acoustic measurements from renowned studios and concert halls. By capturing both the reverberation characteristics and the directional qualities of sound, the technology recreates authentic spatial audio environments inside the ES8, adapted for every seat in the vehicle.
NIO defines three “venue rooms” within the ES8 using Dirac’s reference room mode technology, each corresponding to a distinct sound field modeled on rooms of different sizes: Legendary Studio (small), Pinnacle Stage (medium), and Golden Hall (large).
This gives passengers the ability to choose the acoustic experience that best fits their mood or music, further enhancing the lifelike and immersive quality of the audio.
“Delivering a truly immersive sound experience in a car requires more than powerful speakers,” said Dirac Vice President of Automotive Hendrik Hermann. “This collaboration with NIO brings the unique acoustic signature of world-class spaces into the ES8, providing passengers with an authentic and emotionally engaging sound experience. Every note and nuance are reproduced as it would be in the original reference environment.”
Traditional automotive audio systems often simulate larger spaces by adding generic reverb across the system. In contrast, Dirac captures the direction and decay of sound reflections, using the car’s full speaker array to recreate a coherent and realistic sound field. The result is richer, more balanced audio where occupants feel fully enveloped in the music.
In addition, the NIO ES8 integrates Dirac Dimensions, a patented true-to-source spatial upmixer that transforms any stereo content into an immersive multichannel experience. Leveraging Dirac’s proprietary MIMO (multiple-input/multiple-output) impulse response correction and advanced sound field control, the technology ensures every speaker contributes intelligently to a perfectly tuned, balanced, and spatially coherent soundstage.
Launched in 2018 as NIO’s first production model, the ES8 set a new benchmark for flagship three-row SUVs with forward-thinking technology and groundbreaking design. With its third-generation debut at NIO Day 2025 in Hangzhou, China, NIO continues its spirit of innovation, now redefining what’s possible in immersive in-car audio through this collaboration with Dirac.
Through this ongoing collaboration with Dirac, NIO continues to transform the in-car experience, turning software into a new form of luxury – from sound quality powered by Dirac Pro, to 3D surround sound via Dirac Dimensions Infinity, and now to the immersive concert hall and studio recreation made possible by Dirac’s reference room mode technology in the ES8.
For more information on the NIO ES8 click here. For high-res images, click here.
Media Contact:
Dan Griffin
dan@griffin360.com