Jean-Michel Jarre creates a signature sound identity for Renault

Pioneer of electronic music, Jean-Michel Jarre has come to lend a hand to Renault to develop two types of sounds.

An electric car is certainly silent without engine noise, but when you hear the rumblings of a Diesel or the hum of a three-cylinder, is it really such a bad thing? A whistling electric motor is nothing unpleasant and has opened a new field of application regarding sound design. For example, a Renault Zoe is immediately recognizable by its VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians), the external alert sound emitted by the electric vehicle at low speeds to warn pedestrians.

But there are many other artificial sounds inside a car, such as turn signals, screen “beeps,” or the audio output inside the cabin. Hence the importance of consulting not only in-house engineers but also sound specialists like Jean-Michel Jarre.

One of the artist’s first projects was developing, in collaboration with IRCAM and the group’s sound design teams, two types of sounds for Renault’s electric and hybrid models: the famous VSP and the greeting sequence sound, played when entering the vehicle.

The documentary “Behind the Scenes of Sound Design” explores the behind-the-scenes work and showcases Jean-Michel Jarre’s contribution both as a creator and as an engineer.