Software addresses noise challenges faced by automakers building fuel-efficient cars
QNX Software Systems Limited, a global leader in software platforms for connected embedded systems, today announced it has won a prestigious embedded AWARD at the Embedded World conference for its QNX® Acoustics for Active Noise Control, a software-based solution for cancelling engine noise in passenger vehicles. The solution was named best product in the software category.
“While fuel-saving measures in today’s vehicles are very effective, they also introduce higher levels of engine noise that can be distracting to drivers and passengers alike,” said Tina Jeffrey, product marketing manager, QNX Software Systems. “QNX Acoustics for Active Noise Control was designed to provide a highly efficient and cost-effective solution to this problem, and the embedded AWARD is a testament to the value that the solution can bring to automakers and consumers.”
Automakers use active noise control (ANC), which plays “anti-noise” over the car’s loudspeakers, to reduce the distracting engine noise caused by fuel-saving techniques such as variable cylinder management and the removal of sound dampening materials to decrease vehicle weight. Existing ANC systems require dedicated hardware, which adds design and integration complexity, as well as significant bill of materials costs.
To solve these issues, acoustic engineers at QNX Software Systems developed QNX Acoustics for Active Noise Control, which can run on the existing hardware in the car’s infotainment or audio system. Besides eliminating the cost of dedicated hardware, this approach helps enable better performance, faster development, and greater design flexibility than conventional hardware-based solutions; it also supports a variety of vehicle configurations, allowing automakers to reduce engine noise in everything from sports cars to SUVs.
