VW ID.3 driving sound revealed

By CARSIFU | 16 December 2019


BERLIN: The artificial sound design of the ID.3 was presented at the DRIVE. Forum in Berlin as part of the Future Sounds event.

The almost silent, electric drive offers great potential for brand-specific sound design that not only draws attention to the car, but also to the brand.

Consequently, Volkswagen-branded electric vehicles would soon be recognized by its sound.



As electric vehicles are almost silent at low speeds, the accident risk for pedestrians and cyclists particularly increases in inner-city traffic.

For this reason, ID. family models will, in the future, use an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) to generate an artificial driving sound – when moving off at speeds up to 30 kph and when reversing.

The AVAS in the ID.3 is audible on the inside and outside of the vehicle up to 30kph.

Inside the vehicle, different stages of the driving sound are always audible based on speed and accelerator pedal position. Beyond this speed, the vehicle’s rolling resistance and driving noise become more prominent.

The sound design for the ID.3 was developed as part of a cooperation between Volkswagen Design and composer Leslie Mandoki.

The ID.3 is not available for sale as yet.

Keywords