Most people have traded their large chunky speakers for their home systems and replaced them for slimmer sound bars; yet when it comes to our vehicles, speakers seem as if they are as big as ever.

Well, enjoy this while it lasts (if you enjoy it all) because Continental, a car tech supplier company has stated it has technology that can turn interior parts within a vehicle, into speakers. The speakers will still encompass that moving electromagnet coil, but use an existing interior part within your car, rather than the speaker cone used now. Interior trim or a door panel might be the item that pulls double duty; however, this new concept will open up space within the car, which is a major plus.

CNET recently reported that in additional car speaker news, Google recently purchased Redux, UK startup, which is developing a concept where video screens could turn into speakers. While Google will no doubt be working at embedding this into mobile device screens first, it won’t be long until they hit the automotive sector with this concept.

Lastly, a research project conducted at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in 2016 outlined the possibility that a car’s entire headliner could be transformed into a variety of actuators vibrating it. If you don’t want to wait for something like this to be developed into a car, the Toyota FJ Cruiser has a very similar to this concept that offers a system that vibrates off the headliner, but not as a sub.

Regardless, it’s clear that car speaker systems are moving in the trends of regular speaker systems, which includes: a decrease in bulk and size, allowing to free up interior space to use for practical everyday functions (i.e. bins, cup holders, etc.); as well as an enhancement around audio dispersion, where flat speakers just sound better, and within all areas of the vehicle.

It’s crazy how much technology has enhanced the auto industry and driving experience, and clearly the area of speaker systems is not exception to this new and exciting phenomenon.