Toyota engineers have implemented noise canceling technology to quieten down their new Crown Hybrid car. The system uses three microphones and the same number of permanently-on active phase speakers to achieve the desired hush. It even works when the music system is playing, but all at head height (no quiet feet then). Does anyone else think it’s weird that the hybrid makers should be trying to make their vehicles quieter while the electric car makers are thinking about adding engine noises? [via Gizmag]
However, if no measure is taken, the muffled noise of about 50-150Hz is transmitted to the car interior, impairing the comfort of the car. The first active noise control system of Toyota detects the muffled noise inside the car with three microphones and generates antiphase signals from the speakers to counter the noise, enhancing the quietness by about 5 to 8dB, the company said.