Bose has an idea to eliminate road noise in cars

The American company Bose Corporation has been specializing in the production of a professional audio system for years, and in the past has already created Engine Harmonic Enhancement and Engine Harmonic Cancellation technology, which combat engine noise only through the car audio system. Now the company wants to go further and eliminate outside road noise.

In connection with this announcement, the electric car market immediately came to my mind, in which the noise is reduced only to the noise of tires, wind and the whirring of the engines of other road users. Let’s face it – probably no rational driver will give up the opportunity to listen to what is under the hood … unless there are sleeping kids in the back seat. Therefore, I believe that the announced Bose QuietComfort’s Road Noise Control (RNC) technology is created mainly with EV in mind. While in its assumption it is not particularly innovative, because it is based simply on active suppression, which boils down to reversing the sound waves of noise and serving them to our ears.

However, RNC will have to face quite a big problem, because while active noise suppression is easy to implement in headphones (due to the clearly defined and fixed position of the ear), the loudspeakers in cars will have to generate these waves regardless of the position of the passenger or driver . Road Noise Control will be based on a number of accelerometers and microphones under the leadership of signal processing software, so that it can finally be integrated with any radio. The operation will therefore depend on the equipment of the car. The microphones will be located not only outside but also in the cabin, updating algorithms to account for additional passengers, luggage and even deterioration of the vehicle over time.

The premiere of Road Noise Control is to take place in 2021 and despite its comfort, it may also enable the production of lighter cars. All thanks to the reduction of the amount of materials needed to soundproof the car cabin.

Also read: This audio system directs music straight to the ears

Source: NewAtlas