FAURECIA : New Faurecia technology can make your 4-cylinder car sound like a V8-powered sports car

Frankfurt (Germany), September 10, 2013

Faurecia is demonstrating technology that can transform the sound of a base-line 4-cylinder car to that of a V8-powered sports car. At the other end of the sound spectrum, Faurecia is introducing what amounts to "noise-cancelling headphones" for tailpipes. It's all being explained at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show in an Exhaust Dynamic Sound Technologies demonstrator and a live demonstration with a vehicle right close to the Faurecia booth.
The stringent environmental control regulations in Europe have produced an unexpected side effect. To meet mandated emissions limits, automakers have needed to mount extra emissions control devices on diesel exhaust systems that have the effect of further muffling engine noise. As a result, many premium cars that are characterized by high power and high torque produce little or no sound, a disappointment for drivers. Faurecia technology allows for adding and designing sound for diesel vehicles, placing a speaker in a housing adjacent to the tailpipe. The speaker is activated by the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU), which cause it to produce specifically designed sounds. The ECU adjusts volumes and sound types depending on the vehicle's speed and engine load, replicating the sounds of gasoline-powered cars.
On the other hand, turbo-charged gasoline-powered vehicles often emit too much irritating noise. So, Faurecia uses the same type of system to cancel out the sound. The speaker near the end of the tailpipe is controlled through an algorithm integrated into the ECU to produce a frequency that is close to the exact opposite of that which is generating the noise at any given moment.
The ECU constantly monitors noise levels as the vehicle accelerates or slows, changing the sound the speaker generates to keep opposing frequencies in sync. The result is a very low level of exhaust noise. The exhaust dynamic sound generation technology then can add a more pleasing and appropriate sound instead, just as it does in diesels. The system even can be used for hybrids to cancel out exhaust noise when the gasoline engine is running.
At the Faurecia exhibit, exhaust dynamic sound cancellation and exhaust dynamic sound generation will be demonstrated with a tablet that visitors can use to play various sound signatures, then cancel the noise and add the sounds of a 6- or 8-cylinder car to a 4-cylinder engine. All the hardware used by the system will be visible under a full-scale model of a vehicle rear end. Right outside the exhibition hall, during press and trade days, Faurecia will demonstrate the technology on an actual passenger car.
"A vehicle's sound is a very important factor in a consumer's image of its brand," noted Luc Herbin, Vice President R&D of Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies. "The industry is evaluating and implementing the most effective ways to use Exhaust Dynamic Sound Technologies to meet the car buyer's expectations, and Faurecia is prepared for the full scope of sound design options, from ECU to speaker and canning."
The Faurecia exhaust dynamic sound technologies are being readied for the 2017 model year. Already half a dozen global automakers have expressed interest in the system for both premium and mainstream vehicles.
At the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Faurecia booth #B12 is located in hall 5.1.

Faurecia is the world's sixth-largest automotive equipment supplier with four key Business Groups: Automotive Seating, Emissions Control Technologies, Interior Systems and Automotive Exteriors. In 2012, the Group posted total sales of €17.4 billion. At December 31, 2012, Faurecia employed 94,000 people in 34 countries at 320 sites, including 30 R&D centers. Faurecia is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris stock exchange and trades in the U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) market. For more information, visit: www.faurecia.com

Contacts Media

Olivier Le Friec / Head of Media Relations

Tel: +33 1 72 36 72 58 / Cell: +33 6 76 87 30 17 olivier.lefriec@faurecia.com

distributed by