Banking, like most industries, is being challenged by technology. I don’t say disrupted. Music, entertainment and other industries may have been disrupted. I think banking is challenged.
But when I look out at the world, what does surprise and possibly amaze me is how some industries are adapting. We’ve seen banking adapt – who needs a branch these days? – and I’ve seen other industries changing – the end of the shopping mall? – but the car industry seems to be one of the most extreme.
When Tesla is worth more than $1 trillion [Tesla's market value is roughly $2 million per vehicle sold], you know something is changing. But I hadn’t thought about it much until I stumbled over BMW’s Sound Creator Renzo Vitale.
Renzo Vitale explores the narrative between music, science and human perception envisioning sonic spaces for music to evolve, for cities to sing, for people to transcend.
Renzo is working with Hans Zimmer, one of my favourite composers, to create cars that synchronise and sing. So, imagine a future where your car connects with other cars across the network so that, when they come together, they create music.
Yep, that’s the future world right there, right now.
The core of this change is the challenge of electric cars. If cars make no sound, how can we hear them? If we don’t hear them, how do we avoid them? Is the future one where silent cars run over thousands of people who don’t hear them coming? No, we have to make cars that people hear, but what should they hear?
That is a challenge that BMW took to their hearts and they appointed Renzo as their Creative Sound Director for their next generation of electric vehicles. Renzo reached out to Hans and what they came up with is, well, electrifying.
But electric cars are rubbish, aren’t they? Well, not anymore.
And when a Tesla can fart, you know the world is changing.
Thing is, for me, I would like to see the day when a BMW meets another at a traffic light and starts to play Handel’s Zadok the Priest. Yet, I’m sure my kids would prefer they played Star Wars Imperial March. But then my cool bro would want Bad Bunny’s I Like It.
So the real question is what will be the preferred music on the street in 2030, and what sounds would you like to hear from your electric cars?
Chris M Skinner
Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...
