Bose is famed for its best-in-class noise cancelling headphones like the QuietComfort 35 II, and now the American audio giant is bringing that tech to our cars.
The new QuietComfort Road Noise Control (RNC) system is now available to auto manufacturers and is designed to block out unwanted noise from riding over rough surfaces and grooved concrete.
It uses the existing sound system within the car in order to dull that din, applying its headphones smarts to create a ‘smarter, more flexible and adaptable electronic solution’ than boosting body insulation.
It uses accelerometers, its own signal processing software and microphones in order to create the acoustic cancellation system within the cabin.
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Here’s how the company describes the new tech in a press release:
“Accelerometers mounted on the vehicle body enable a Bose algorithm to continuously measure vibrations that create noise. This information is then used to calculate an acoustic cancellation signal, which is delivered through the vehicle’s speakers to reduce the targeted noise. Microphones placed inside the cabin monitor residual noise levels, allowing the system to adapt the control signal for optimized performance over different road surfaces, while automatically adjusting over time as the vehicle ages.”
The company says the tech, which builds upon and combines with the existing Engine Harmonic Cancellation (EHC) and Bose Engine Harmonic Enhancement (EHE) for reducing engine noise, will begin appearing in cars in 2021.
It says the the RNC system will be available with our without the company’s premium audio systems, and the company will collaborate with manufacturers during the developement process.
“For years, we’ve been asked why we can’t simply adapt our noise cancelling headphone technology to vehicle cabins for a quieter driving experience,” said John Feng, manager, Bose Automotive, Active Sound Management Solutions.
“But we know it’s much more difficult to control noise in a large space like a car cabin compared to the relatively small area around your ears. However, through research advances and our relentless efforts to solve tough problems, we’ve achieved a level of road noise reduction that sets Bose apart from competitive offerings.”
Do you think cars need more effective noise cancelling systems? Or do we need to hear all sounds around us while driving? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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