Volvo owners only just learning reason for unusual feature

Car owners have been baffled to learn the way that Volvo decided to implement an unusual feature.

Volvo cars are often ranked among the safest in the world. The car manufacturer even invented the modern three-point seat belt in 1959, which is considered one of the most important safety devices in automotive history and is still used today after the company made it freely available for other manufacturers to use in order to help save lives.

But a commitment to safety isn't the only thing that makes the Swedish car manufacturer special, as the company often prides itself on its sleek and distinctive Scandinavian design. Every detail about the vehicles has been carefully thought out - even their famous turn signal sound.

Taking to TikTok, one motoring enthusiast shared the story of how the sound engineers at Volvo came up with the unique sound.

"Why does the turn signal in a Volvo sound so convincing? Because its sound has a very unusual source," the man said at the start of his video.

He went on to explain that sound engineers at Volvo had been asked to find a natural and calming sound for the turn signal that would help the driver feel secure.

So instead of playing around with artificial beeps and clicks that most other manufacturers use, they decided to head into nature to look for inspiration.

"They spent two days in a Swedish forest, snapping and recording over 300 branches from different trees - oaks, birches, and pines," the man explained.

Sweden's land area is approximately 70%, giving the engineers plenty of area to explore and find the prefect branches to test and snap. The forests are primarily coniferous, consisting mostly of spruce and pine, but also have plenty of oak and birch trees available, to name a few.

"After many trials, they chose one. The sound of a breaking branch from a Swedish oak. That sound became the signature click of a Volvo turn signal," he revealed.

"So the next time you switch on a turn signal in a Volvo, know what you're hearing is the sound of a branch snapping in the forest," the man said.

Drivers quickly took to the comment section to share their thoughts.

One said: "I absolutely love the Volvo signal sound."

However, not everyone was convinced. "But I like the plastic clicks and beeps," one person said, while another viewer complained that the turn signal sounds often 'fall out of sync' with the indicator.