Cars are amazingly quiet these days. A combination of aerodynamic shapes, computerised body design for maximum rigidity and improved sound reduction materials mean today’s mass production cars are quieter to ride in than much vaunted mega-buck saloons of the past. But engineers are finding it more and more difficult to make cars quieter by conventional methods, so are turning to high-tech solutions.
Such as those offered by Lotus Engineering in Great Britain. Though often thought of as purely a maker of racing and sports cars, Lotus has long run an engineering arm to work for other car companies in a variety of ways on some complex devices. Such as in noise reduction.
 Lotus has just announced a fascinating agreement with Harman Becker, the automotive division of the renowned designer of high-end audio equipment, to jointly develop new noise management systems.
These systems can be divided into various groups: Road noise cancellation and engine order cancellation reduce both overall noise levels and specific audible frequencies which may be unpleasant in the cabin space. Electronic systems determine the signal needed to provide cancellation which is then seamlessly generated through the in-car entertainment system. The result is a quiet, controlled environment free of intrusive noises.
External electronic sound synthesis provides specified electronic sound models which can be applied to an external speaker system to improve pedestrian safety. This is especially important for electric and hybrid vehicles which can be difficult to hear at lower speeds due to their near-silent drive mechanisms. A synthesised sound, dependant on speed, would be projected from speakers externally mounted at the front and rear of the vehicle, making it instantly obvious that the vehicle is in motion and, hopefully, keeping pedestrians out from under the wheels.
Internal electronic sound synthesis allows sound contouring in the cabin, enhancing the driving experience by creating engine speed and throttle dependant sounds audible through the in-car entertainment system. Thus letting the engineers shut out the unwanted aural outputs from under the bonnet, but letting the pleasant ones through. These inputs would be tailored according to car type. Therefore there could be almost no sound from a big saloon, and all sorts of interesting mechanical notes from a sports car. Fascinatingly the system could deliver audible feedback to drivers even when the engine is silent.
We can anticipate these top-end engineering solutions will begin to appear in the upmarket sedans in the next few years. Then will gradually trickle down to everyday cars, until the stage when your $14,990 car could be almost as quiet as a million-buck saloon.
While this may seem like a bold statement, it's not that long ago items like disc brakes, fuel injection and safety airbags were only available to those with huge budgets, now you will be hard pressed to find a car without them. |
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