Vehicle acoustic performance 'actively' improved
26 February 2003
News
For drivers who want their cars to have an acoustic as well as a visual identity, engineers at Siemens VDO Automotive have come up with 'active noise control' (ANC), a patented technology that allows engine sounds to be actively influenced at their source.
ANC uses a microphone in the air intake system to measure engine sounds. An electronic controller calculates and generates the corresponding tone sequence. The original sounds are then either counteracted or shaped by a loudspeaker (also in the air intake system) that generates the desired frequencies. Because of its proximity to the sound source, the entire system requires only a few watts to operate, according to the company.
With its ability to suppress or amplify individual frequencies, ANC gives vehicle manufacturers greater freedom in engine acoustic design, which can help them to adapt a vehicle's noise behaviour to its character and image, says Siemens. It can also save precious space under the hood by doing away with the bulky plastic resonators currently used for cutting noise.
In the frequency range up to 600 Hz, Siemens VDO has demonstrated a significant improvement in vehicle acoustic performance. A recent Siemens VDO Automotive study demonstrated that active control of engine sound significantly influences driver enjoyment and comfort levels.
The development won its inventor, Ian McLean of Tilbury, Canada, one of Siemens' 12 prestigious Inventor of the Year awards in 2002.
For more information contact Siemens Southern Africa, 011 652 2000.
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