Engineers and researchers at UK-based consulting firm Lotus Engineering say that, contrary to expectations, vehicle interiors are becoming noisier places and that many new cars are subject to higher internal noise levels than their predecessors.
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The surprising findings apply particularly to high volume family hatchbacks and superminis, according to Lotus.
“It’s a surprise to most people that while you’d expect every aspect of a car to have improved over the last ten years, noise levels inside the car have actually worsened in the majority of cases,” said Steve Swift, Head of Vehicle Engineering at Lotus.
Lotus has observed that over the last decade, while engine noise and wind noise have decreased, the efforts of manufacturers to make cars more attractive, safer, and more fun to drive have resulted in greater in-car noise.
Also, to improve the appearance of today’s cars, manufacturers fit larger wheels, alloy not steel, and low profile, wider tyres, more frequently of a run-flat design for increased safety. These welcome improvements may enhance styling and safety, but produce greater levels of road noise and transmit more of that generated noise to the passenger cabin.
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By GlobalDataThe company says that suspension configuration of modern cars compound the issue. A decade ago, it says, most hatchbacks had standard beam axle suspension, but many modern hatchbacks now feature multi-link suspension as manufacturers pursue superior ride and handling. This setup, however, offers multiple paths for vibration and noise to enter the car.
The noise is not only an annoyance, but according to Swedish researchers the presence of a low frequency monotonous noise can make drivers feel drowsy, which is widely believed to be a factor in some accidents.
Lotus says that it is launching a technology to solve the problem: ‘In-Car Active Acoustic Tailoring’ (ICAAT). It claims the system allows vehicle manufacturers to create an acoustic ambience that matches consumers’ expectations, and which can even be tailored to suit individual driving styles and auditory expectations.
ICAAT works by reducing unwanted noise in the relevant frequency range from both the road and engine, according to Lotus. Through ‘complex algorithms’ the technology then generates sound of an opposing phase through the car’s standard speakers, suppressing the perceived level of noise for passengers.
Lotus adds that low frequency road noise cannot be effectively treated with conventional NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) tools without compromising vehicle dynamics performance.
