Hyundai sound cancellation tech to reduce noise by 50%

Hyundai hopes to increase driving pleasure by bringing noise cancellation technology to cars, reducing unwanted sound from tyres and road surfaces while driving.

The automotive giant has teamed up with audio experts at Harman International to launch the world’s first active noise cancellation system for a production vehicle.

Much like sound-cancelling headphones that isolate the user from the outside world, the in-car technology creates waves that cancel out the unwanted sound waves before they reach vehicle occupants’ ears.

Acceleration sensors fitted to the suspension and vehicle chassis can predict road noise and allow the software to cancel it out within milliseconds, resulting in up to 50% less unwanted intrusion.

In its research for the product, Harman said drivers reported road noise to be the biggest auditory distraction while driving. However, modern consumer demands such as good vehicle handling, high fuel efficiency, stiffer suspension and wider, lower-profile tyres had resulted in increased noise intrusion from the road surface.

Dubbed Road-Noise Active Noise Control, the technology will make its debut on the Genesis GV80 SUV, on sale in the USA this summer. There’s no word on when the technology will reach Britain, so UK buyers will have to wait to find out how well it works in practice.

In other motoring news, a £75 computer system could help transform road safety by giving cars the ability to “talk” to one another and warn drivers about oncoming hazards.

The chip, being developed by connected vehicle experts Autotalks, broadcasts a vehicle’s location, direction and speed up to 10 times a second.

With other connected cars in the surrounding area being similarly linked, it would allow vehicles to talk to one another about potential hazards and relay this information back to the driver.

The quiet life: Hyundai is to introduce active noise cancellation technology.