Ford Noise Vision: Scan, Find, Eliminate Interior Noises

In an attempt to make its models quieter when it comes to interior cabins, US-based manufacturer Ford developed the so-called Noise Vision, a technology capable of detecting and helping engineers eliminate interior noises. The system comprises a small sphere that has to be placed inside the cabin which, in its turn, includes 30 sensitive microphones and 12 special cameras.

“The key to world-class interior quietness is to pinpoint the source and location of every unwanted sound, no matter how subtle it is,” said Bill Gulker, Ford’s leader of Wind Noise Engineering. “Noise Vision already is paying off for Ford, with the new 2010 Taurus, Fusion, Flex and F-150 achieving the quietest interiors in their class.”

Noise Vision is first used in model year 2010 vehicles, the company said in a release. The Ford F-150 is the top model in its segment for quietness, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. F-150 also is No. 1 in quietness customer satisfaction, according to the RDA Group.

Furthermore, Ford Escape achieved the same rating as Honda CRV for first place in the small utility segment for interior quietness customer satisfaction, according to a study conducted by the RDA Group.

“We used to rely on trial and error to make a vehicle quieter,” said Gulker. “It was a process of elimination that often led us to mask the issue with thicker glass or more sound insulation. Noise Vision literally shows us where the noise is and allows us to eliminate it once and for all.”