Dolby Laboratories and Cadillac have announced that every 2026 Cadillac EV will come equipped with Dolby Atmos audio technology. Dolby Atmos tech makes audio more immersive by creating a true surround-sound experience, enhancing the luxurious experience that Cadillac EVs offer.
“Whether you are listening to music to pass the time on a long commute or sharing a special moment on a family road trip, music has the power to transform mundane moments into something remarkable,” said John Couling, Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Dolby Laboratories. “Cadillac’s lineup of Dolby Atmos equipped vehicles is re-imagining the driving experience, ensuring every journey is unforgettable no matter where it takes you.”
In addition to coming standard in every 2026 Cadillac EV, Cadillac confirmed to GM Authority that it will eventually be available as an over-the-air (OTA) update for the ICE-powered 2025 Escalade. It won’t be available for the 2025 Lyriq or 2025 Escalade IQ.
The 2025 Optiq’s standard 19-speaker AKG Studio sound system (RPO UQP) already has Dolby Atmos built-in. A similar AGK Studio system is standard in the 2025 Escalade IQ and optional in the 2025 Lyriq, but not with Dolby Atmos.
The 2025 Celestiq is equipped with an AKG Studio Reference sound system that includes 38 cabin speakers and 4 exterior speakers. Cadillac confirmed to GM Authority that the Celestiq launched with Dolby Atmos tech.
EVs already announced for GM’s luxury brand for the 2026 model year include the Escalade IQL, Vistiq, and Lyriq-V. According to today’s announcement, all of the above will come standard with Dolby Atmos audio systems. The Escalade IQL has standard and optional AKG audio systems similar to the standard-wheelbase Escalade IQ but with two extra speakers for each, bringing the maximum speaker count up to 38 for the IQL.
“Innovation is at the core of the Cadillac brand, and our collaboration with Dolby marks a transformative shift in how in-car entertainment elevates the driving experience,” said John Cockburn, Chief Engineer at Cadillac. “Together, we are taking audio to new heights by ensuring the music experience stays true to the artist’s original vision, delivering a sound experience that makes consumers feel like they are in the music studio with them.”
Comments
This is Excellent news. I would Love to see Dolby Atmos Audio Tech also offered in All Buicks for 2026 and made standard equipment on the Avenir trim with the Bose iperformence Sound System. It should be standard on Avenir and optional on the Preferred and ST trim levels. Dolby Atmos Audio Tech should be offered on All Cadillac and Buick models and Exclusive for both brands as well.
Cadillac has yet to deliver Dolby Atmos to the Optiq. We all are waiting on an OTA update to turn it on. Rumored to be in April.
“The Celestiq launched with Dolby Atmos tech.” When? When did the Celestiq launch?
Originally they said production started January of ‘24, then they backtracked and said all Celestiqs would be ‘25 models and production would start in the fourth quarter of ‘24. Then they’ve said nothing further after that that I’m aware of.
One confirmed order is in Canada
Although I don’t consider myself an audiophile, I do enjoy nice sound in a quiet cabin. Not loud music to cover the overly loud interior of a car, but a quiet car with clear and warm sound. What I’m finding in vehicles today is the tech is really trying too hard and it gets rather confusing to most who just want to turn on the music and have great sound.
I can’t confirm this since I have not experienced it personally, but what I’ve read and watched on Youtube is that the Dolby Atmos is great IF you have the properly downmixed music files. If I’ve lost you on that one, then you fall in the same category as I do and most people. And from what I’m hearing is that without the music done in Dolby Atmos, the playback can sound really bad. Not sure if I’m describing this correctly, but if you have music on your phone that is not done with Dolby Atmos, and you play that in a vehicle with the Dolby Atmos system, it can sound bad. On Youtube, I watch a channel that does nothing but testing of vehicle sound systems and this guy knows his stuff. I’ve also watched reviews of Lucid Air cars with this same issue. They all say if you have the correctly downloaded music, it’s great. Otherwise, not so much.
Sometimes just having 4 to 6 high quality speakers with a head unit (radio) putting out enough power is better than a bazillion lower quality speakers with a ton of pre-programmed settings that never really hit the spot.