If you’re someone who takes audio quality seriously, one of the first things you look at when buying a car is what kind of audio system comes standard, or how long you’ll be sleeping on the couch when the wife realizes you opted for the $4,000 audio upgrade. And if not, chances are it’s the first modification you make to your new ride. Seriously, most of the time, stock audio systems in entry-level vehicles are crap. But, Ford is looking to change all that through a partnership with Harman that will bring B&O Play into the mix starting as early as next year.

For the record, my opening statement about stock audio systems is accurate. In fact, Ipsos’ 2016 Automotive Audi Branding study showed that about 33 percent of new car buyers say that the audio brand in their next vehicle holds a lot of significance as to whether or not the sign on the dotted line. With Ford, that’s no longer going to be an issue thanks to Harmon’s B&O Play. If you’ve never had the chance to enjoy a B&O Play system, you definitely want to check it out when you get a chance. The layout of the speakers are fine tuned for each application, and everything is calibrated just right. In short, the sound is perfect regardless of what is going on outside the vehicle, the road conditions, or your nagging grandmother that’s sitting in the back seat.

Raj Nair, Ford’s Executive Vice President, said, "Customers tell us they value consistent, high-quality audio experiences, and our collaboration with Harmon is helping provide that. This is just one of the ways we are creating richer, more engaging in-vehicle experiences for customers."

For the record, Harman has been around for more than 90 years, so this is a pretty big move for Ford to bring the B&O Play system into its global vehicles. There’s no exact date mentioned as to when the system will begin appearing in Ford’s vehicles or how much it will cost on models that don’t come with it equipped as standard equipment, but we’ll surely learn more about that as we move into 2017.

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Why it Matters

You know, there’s nothing better than sitting down in a comfortable car after a long day at work and enjoying a high-quality audio experience to relax on your way home. This move by Ford is a good one, and it rivals moves from brands like Mercedes and Porsche and their partnership with Burmester, with the former taking place just back in 2009. Up until the mid-2000s, car audio systems were horrible, and it’s about time that non-luxury brands finally step into at least offering a high-quality sound system for those that really appreciate it.