THREE noise cancelling microphones embedded within the cabin and artificially augmented engine sounds – is this the future of in-car entertainment systems? We travelled to Germany to test it out.
 |
| Sony re-created the noise cancelling technology found in its headphones, inside the car |
NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com travelled to Berlin, Germany last month to test the latest in in-car entertainment systems – including a prototype new surround sound variation – fitted into the luxury Ford Mondeo Vignale.
Noise-cancellation is nothing new, and has been making long-haul flights with screaming infants and droning aeroplane engines bearable for many years – but what if that same technology was applied to the cabin of a four-door car?
That’s exactly what the engineers at Ford and Sony asked themselves.
The result is the new Ford Mondeo Vignale with Active Noise Control, which uses three small microphones embedded around the driver and passenger seats of the car to cancel out background noise while driving.
Sony’s sound system listens for the undesirable noises – usually caused by the engine and transmission – and then counteracts them with opposing
 |
| NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com travelled to Berlin, Germany to listen to the new technology |
Like noise-cancelling headphones, the system works best for low frequencies, like droning engines noises and the sound of the road, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to hear someone shouting for you outside the car – or being oblivious to the sound of emergency sirens rushing towards you.
Aside from the active noise cancellation taking place inside the cabin around you, Ford has also developed acoustic glass, which absorbs distracting sounds from outside the windscreen and front windows.
Thanks to its special laminated acoustic layer – thinner than a human hair – the aptly-named acoustic glass reduces the noise of the wind, as air flows around the car.
As a result, you aren’t forced to crank up the volume on your in-car entertainment system to be able to hear all of the details in your favourite driving playlist.
And Ford is also pretty confident its quieter driving experience will not only have a positive effect on your volume level, but your stress level too.
 |
| A special laminated acoustic layer – thinner than a human hair – cuts the wind noise inside the vehi |
 |
| The sound system around the driver consists of 12 high-quality speakers, and a DSP amplifier |
“Noise is intrusive and reduces the driver’s mental processing power, and can lead to distraction and stress,” explained Dr John Cartwright, the Chief Medical Officer for Ford of Britain.
“By removing unwanted powertrain noise, Ford is helping customers to complete their journey calmly and in comfort.”
And for anyone who is worried about the cabin inside the Ford Mondeo Vignale being too stiflingly quiet – it’s not.
Ford has even included a number of boosted engine noises which it plays inside the car when you really put your foot down.
It’s called the Ford Electronic Sound Enhancement system, and is designed to help re-create and enhance some of the louder, sporty feel of a roaring engine that might be lost through the layers of foam engine bat insulation and sound-proof underbody shields.
But all of the meticulous engineering and sound absorption technology in the Mondeo Vignale, wouldn’t be worth a penny if the sound system didn’t deliver. Lucky Sony has pulled it out of the bag.
Ian Hubbard, Sony Europe global automotive entertainment director, told NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com: "Our engineers have gone to extreme lengths to develop the audio system for the Mondeo Vignale to ensure our customers are immersed in a world class luxury audio experience.
"Delivering this luxury experience is made real through paying particular attention to reproducing sound as the artist intended and underpinning the acoustic emotion with the look, touch and feel delivered by our elegantly styled and carefully constructed centre panel design.”
 |
| A prototype Sony sound system was also on display in Germany |
 |
| The prototype system was designed to recreate a live concert hall inside the cabin of your car |
Powering the sound system is a set of 12 high-quality speakers, and a sophisticated DSP amplifier, with 10 independent channels.
Sat in the driving seat, it sounds truly impressive.
Music surrounds the listener – or can be played to a specific are within the car thanks to a handy target symbol you can drag around on the touchscreen entertainment control panel.
It’s clean and crisp – with a surprisingly, but not over-powering, amount of bass. NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com also got to listen to a prototype new system developed by the Sony engineers which incorporated the firm’s Live Acoustics technology.
This is designed to recreate the acoustics of a live concert hall inside the cabin of a commercial vehicle.
A nifty algorithm within the sound system re-alligns the recording of the instruments to their original placement on the sound stage.
And unbelievably, listening to a concert recording on the prototype in-car system, its possible to place the instruments in relation to one another on the stage in your minds’ eye.
To achieve this staggering result, the Sony Engineers travelled around the world to take a number of acoustic measurements inside real music venues, including halls in Amsterdam, Berlin and Vienna, which allows the software to digitally simulate the acoustics of a live performance.
Sony says its like having the concert stage set-out in-front of your dashboard – and they aren’t exaggerating. Although, the effect is fairly redundant when you switch off the high quality live concert recording and put-on your local hit radio station instead.
The Live Acoustics technology, which is already available in some of Sony’s high-end home audio systems, will not be coming to the Ford Mondeo Vignale anytime soon – although the Sony team did say the system was “around 80 to 90 per cent complete."
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook Disqus