While some people live for the sound of a growling exhaust and a revving engine, some of us prefer our car journeys to be a little more peaceful – and audio company Bose could have the answer.
Best known for its range of noise-canceling headphones, the company has announced that it's making its QuietComfort technology available to vehicle manufacturers, in a move that could make car, SUV, and truck cabins a place of peace and quiet.
The new noise-cancelling system, called QuietComfort Road Noise Control, uses your vehicle's audio system, accelerometers, microphones, and Bose's own signal-processing software to digitally reduce environmental sounds in the cabin, meaning you can enjoy your driving playlist without interruption.
Bose explained in a statement that cabin noise can come from "driving over rough roads, grooved concrete, and uneven pavement". In the past, manufacturers have sought to remedy this by adding more insulation to the vehicle itself, which has the unintended effect of increasing its weight.
A three-year wait
Bose says that "QuietComfort RNC is a smarter, more flexible, and adaptable electronic solution" to the problem of excessive cabin noise. However, it does raise the question of how safe a completely quiet cabin could be; after all, many drivers first become aware problems with their cars when they hear irregular noises coming from the engine.
Still, Bose says it's working with vehicle manufacturers during the development process, so this should be a consideration when the technology comes to be implemented.
If you like the sound of a quiet ride, you shouldn't trade in your old car just yet; Bose says that QuietComfort RNC is planned to be in production models by the end of 2021.
The technology is extremely similar to that employed in Bose's market-leading QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones, so you could always try a pair of the noise-canceling cans for a taste of how your car's cabin could sound in the future.
Otherwise, you'll have to wait a few more years before the technology starts cropping up in new cars models.
