Active noise reduction

[PacManMX]

I think most people are unaware of how much the big ICE companies are using active noise cancellation and the piping in of engine sounds in newer model cars. Not even sure this is an advertised feature on many models. Most new cars make it very difficult to install third party head units without losing significant functionality due to integration of audio/hvac. The plus for consumers is integrated dash displays, steering wheel controls, better layouts, etc... The integration also allows the manufactures to do active noise cancellation as the audio components are much more integrated. I think it is a win for everyone...unless physical sound insulation is replaced with cheaper materials that weigh the same or more. For Tesla, the marginal cost of *additional* passive noise cancelling per unit of appreciable sound reduction is likely MUCH higher than for active given Teslas already have quite a bit of passive and the low hanging fruit is gone.

 

[Phillip L]

A while back on another thread there was a fairly extensive discussion about how quiet Teslas are or aren't. There was a nice
graph showing the various sources of noise in cars, vs. speed, and the interior noise level for various cars. The bottom line is
that Teslas are quieter than most other cars at low speeds, where mechanical noise dominates, but louder than most "premium"
cars from highway speeds on up, where road and wind noise dominate. The fact that other cars are quieter proves that there
are some things you can do about that sort of noise.

That is very interesting. That high noise level at highway speeds is exactly what bothers me. And given that it generally seems to be mid-range frequencies where active noise reduction works best, it seems to me that active noise reduction would be an effective way of reducing it without adding appreciable weight to the car.

There are options available on the Tesla that just do not appeal to someone like me, such as ludicrous mode (for myself the 85D is plenty fast), but the option of a quieter highway drive, an option with daily utility.....Sign me up.

 

[scot]

Active noise cancellation works best when you have specific targets and target areas plus lots of sound damping. It does not work as a general thing you pump into the environment of the cabin.

ICE is easy, damp the car then find entry points and put mics there and out of phase speakers from that noise. Problems? Add a hundred pounds of weight, won't be an issue.

Ours is much harder, the sounds are coming from all over, so the first order of business is sound damping. That requires air sealing changing the vibrational qualities of the outside surfaces (make it more massive.) which is kind of the opposite of what they want to do.

 

[hiroshiy]

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