Harman brand B&O Play to become main Ford audio partner

Ford is turning to Harman's high-end B&O Play brand to give it an edge in the sound wars raging inside today's cars and trucks and is ditching longtime audio partner Sony, ending a relationship that dates back at least 16 years.

The Dearborn automaker said today that B&O Play sound systems will begin appearing in Ford cars and trucks next year. Eventually, B&O Play will be in all Ford vehicles.

B&O Play is a brand that was created in 2012 by Danish audio manufacturer Bang & Olufsen. Stamford, Conn.-based Harman International acquired Bang & Olufsen's car audio business in 2015.

Audio systems in today's cars and trucks continue to evolve as digital technology has allowed manufacturers to create better sound out of smaller speakers. Ford believes B&O Play's approach to sound and how its sound systems are designed will put the Dearborn automaker at the forefront of today's audio technology.

"B&O play has a wonderful audio heritage that is rooted not only in music but how to take that music and create experiences that foster feelings like freedom, as well as great design that can spark curiosity and creative exploration," said Ford senior design strategist Anthony Prozzi.

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He declined to say which Ford nameplates will get the B&O Play sound systems first, saying only that they will begin to appear next year and will be rolled out globally.

B&O Play also is a higher-end brand than Sony, Ford's longtime lead audio partner. B&O Play's wireless Bluetooth earphones cost $249 while over-the-ear headphones cost $299 to $499, according to its website. Speakers for personal use or for household use range in price from $249 to $2,799.

"With B&O play … I am going to be able to take sound and wrap it around you like a warm blanket," Prozzi said.

The switch to B&O Play for the Ford brand comes just a little over a year after Ford launched the Lincoln MKX with a Revel sound system. Revel is Harman's most exclusive brand.

While Harman is already a global player in automotive sound systems, the deal with Ford is a coup.

Bang & Olufsen sound systems are available in a wide range of Audi, Aston Martin, BMW and Mercedes-Benz models. Harman and its other brands are in cars made by Fiat, Chrysler and Volkswagen.

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Bill Wyman, vice president of global marketing for car audio at Harman, said the deal with Ford is an exclusive agreement. That means Ford will be the only automaker with sound systems from B&O Play.

"This is really a big opportunity for both Ford and Harman to really create a new experience for customers in their cars," Wyman said. "We are very serious at Harman about brand fit. ... and with this partnership with ford and B&O Play, we found a really strong match."

Harman's automotive division is headquartered in Novi.

Contact Brent Snavely: 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrentSnavely.