Last week we brought you a story about an innovate technology BMW is working on called Active Sound Design. The primary use of the technology is in sound deadening using an electro-acoustic system (aka, your car’s stereo) to minimize or change the sound you here. This is particularly important for BMW when it comes to diesel cars, as the sound of a diesel is considered rather unattractive to luxury shoppers – particularly in North America.
But there’s another use of Active Sound Design too, namely, making your car sound cooler. BMW says its new electronic noise canceling technology can not only be used to just limit sound, but to let the right kind of sound through, matching the engine’s noise to how the car is being driven. In fact, BMW recently performed a little research project using cars equipped with its electro-acoustic system and cars without. The results are impressive. “Subsequent test drives showed that test persons, despite measurably identical longitudinal dynamics, judged the driving performance of the vehicle with integrated Active Sound Design to be better. The subjective in-vehicle impression was comparable to the sensation of an accelerating car with a stronger engine.”
To prove this point further, BMW recently build a MINI with the new Active Sound Design technology, giving the little 4-cylinder the sound of a big V8. Don’t believe it? See the demonstration video courtesy AutoCar.
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