Harman International (Harman), a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, and the Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) have launched the world’s first active road noise cancellation system – dubbed Road-Noise Active Noise Control (RANC) –which will debut on Hyundai’s luxury production vehicle, the Genesis GV80 SUV. In operation, the RANC system works in a similar fashion to noise-cancelling headphones, instead applied to the cabin of a car.
Incorporating Harman’s HALOsonic suite of noise management technologies, the system reportedly reduces in-cabin noise levels by cancelling out unwanted sounds originating from the tyres and road surfaces while driving. This works as the system collects reference signals from acceleration sensors placed strategically along the vehicle’s suspension and chassis. The data sent to the RANC control processor then predicts noise transferred into the cabin and generates an anti-noise wave in real-time. This whole process is said to take mere milliseconds.
In addition, there are also error microphones that constantly monitor the system’s performance in each seat location to ensure a more pleasant ride for the driver and passenger(s).
The need for such a system stems from the increased size and weight of modern vehicles and drivers’ preference for cars with sharper handling and better fuel efficiency – these have resulted in stiffer suspensions and wide low-profile tyres being used, which unfortunately create more road noise.