Music on journeys is much more than a necessity now days. Advancements in in-car audio and entertainment technologies play a vital role in making even the longest distance fun. At Lexus this understanding has rewarded it with the possibility of foraying into newer areas, like the use of bamboo in speakers. Back in 2008, when engineers at Panasonic first suggested the use of bamboo in the Lexus CT200h speakers, the thought raised a lot of doubts. At the time the inclusion of renewable, fast-growing bamboo in audio equipment was unheard of.

Koji Sano, Chief Engineer at Panasonic, however, knew he was on to something good. “We’d been experimenting with bamboo since 2007,” he explained, “so we knew the plant – Charcoaled bamboo and bamboo fibers, to be precise – would make a lot of difference in our attempt to increase sound quality inside the cabin.”

Lexus speakers are divided into an array of collaborative parts, of which the diaphragm, a cone-shaped membrane that vibrates to produce sound, is one of the most crucial. A diaphragm must be light to create a loud noise; stiff to hit high notes precisely; rigid to minimize acoustic distortion; and flexible enough to dampen its own vibrations.

It’s a quadruple threat for nailing a crystal clear sound, and Sano knew that by using bamboo with the CT’s diaphragm, all of the above could be achieved.

“You often see bamboo sway in strong winds, constantly moving in all directions without cracking,” he says. “That’s the sort of quality we seek in a speaker diaphragm.”

Following initial meetings with Lexus engineers, his team secluded themselves in a lab and conducted numerous phases of intense product development. In 2010 they created their first fully function prototype, and in 2011 it was installed in the Lexus CT as a standard feature.

But like any Lexus-affiliated innovator, Sano felt more could be done – a bamboo – based diaphragm could be lighter, more rigid and more flexible so that sound could be even better.

So Sano and his team went back to the drawing board and developed a next-generation speaker, included in the latest CTs, that’s even more advanced.

“The secret behind our latest improvement is a material called plant opal, which we have extracted from bamboo leaves,” explains Panasonic staff engineer Yohei Jin.

Plant opal is a microscopic structure found in the fringes of grass plants, including bamboo. It’s hard and clear, named for a likeness to the eponymous gemstone.

“The type of plant opal we use has the shape of a needle,” Jin explains, referring to the tiny, .2-millimetre-long pieces specifically selected for the job. “We use only a small amount of the material, but it bites into the diaphragm’s resinous body, we can improve overall rigidity and stiffness.”

Here’s how it’s done. First, bamboo leaves are sourced from healthy trees and tiny pieces of plant opal are extracted, next the plant opal pieces are combined with bamboo charcoal to form a powder, and the mixture is then modified into a speaker diaphragm. With this latest improvement, the team has managed to improve acoustic velocity – a yardstick by which frequency range is measured – by 10 percent, so the sounds produced through the latest CT speakers are even sharper, especially at high frequency. Plus the midrange has gained more depth.

“Bamboo is the ideal material for speakers,” said Sano, “and its plant opal more importantly so. And we are the only one in the industry that has successfully tapped into the plant’s massive potential. We are also aiming to introduce this plant opal speaker into the highest echelons of our home-audio lineup.”

Lexus is constantly looking to the future, driven by innovation. The process to create a Lexus vehicle is unique within the automotive industry. Taking inspiration from fields as diverse as the fashion industry, architecture, the arts and medicine, each vehicle is painstakingly crafted to meet Lexus’ exacting standards.

Lexus vehicles are brought to you in Oman by the Saud Bahwan Group. In Oman, every Lexus vehicle comes with special benefits and privileges such as 6 years unlimited extended mileage protection – AMAN BAHWAN and Lexus Prestige Club Card that offers 24 hours on-road assistance from AAA.