Method of providing audio in an automobile, and an audio apparatus for an automobile

An automobile comprising an audio system, wherein the audio system comprises:

• an audio signal processing system arranged to process a plurality of audio channels and generate a principal signal and an accommodating signal for each of the plurality of audio channels;
• an array of loudspeakers including at least two pairs of loudspeakers, each of the at least two pairs of loudspeakers including a front loudspeaker and a rear loudspeaker, wherein the array of loudspeakers is disposed between an occupant location in a vehicle and at least one reflecting surface of the vehicle, the array of loudspeakers and the at least one reflecting surface of the vehicle being configured to direct sound waves toward the occupant location;
• wherein the loudspeakers of the array are positioned such that a first line connecting acoustic centers of a front loudspeaker and a rear loudspeaker of a first pair of loudspeakers is angularly displaced relative to a second line connecting acoustic centers of a front loudspeaker and a rear loudspeaker of a second pair of loudspeakers,
• wherein the audio signal processing system is arranged to provide a principal signal of a first audio channel among the plurality of audio channels to the front loudspeaker of the first pair of loudspeakers, provide an accommodating signal of the first audio channel to the rear loudspeaker of the first pair of loudspeakers, provide a principal signal of a second audio channel among the plurality of audio channels to the front loudspeaker of the second pair of loudspeakers, and provide an accommodating signal of the second audio channel to the rear loudspeaker of the second pair of loudspeakers, to generate a directional radiation pattern from the array of loudspeakers,
• wherein the directional radiation pattern includes a forward component and a rearward component associated with the first pair of loudspeakers and a forward component and a rearward component associated with the second pair of loudspeakers, and
• wherein the forward component associated with the first pair of loudspeakers and the forward component associated with the second pair of loudspeakers are directed toward the at least one reflecting surface of the vehicle.