Something between Star Trek and silence: Sound design for e-vehicles

(L) Famed film score composer, Hans Zimmer works with (R) Renzo Vitale on a soundtrack for a BMW electric vehicle. — BMW AG/dpa

A strange, soft whistle travels along the street. It sounds like a noise made by a flying saucer, or something out of Star Trek.

In fact, it's an electric car. They sound very different from conventional vehicles — and that's completely intentional.