There was a brief mention of the Acura RL Active Noise Reduction technology in yesterday's Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1143...ml?mod=autos_3

Hopefully, this type of positive PR will slowly and eventually help RL sales. It sure can't hurt at this point.

 

You need a Login to read the article. Care to copy and paste it in??

 

REINVENTING THE WHEEL

Car Makers Strive for a Quieter Ride
By RAYMUND FLANDEZ
March 23, 2006; Page D8

What Is It: Car makers are getting serious about making quieter cars and are coming up with design enhancements that are meant to dial down the sound of an engine roaring to as close to a whisper as possible. They're putting sound-absorption materials all over gaps in the vehicle's structure where potential noise might emerge, and installing laminated glass and even undetectable white-noise systems to cancel out unwanted noise. All these efforts are meant to add to the concept of a luxurious ride -- cushy seats, sophisticated climate-control systems and now, quiet time in the car.


Cars That Have It: The Acura RL has a tiny microphone that reads the sound level inside the vehicle and causes an audio system in the dashboard to emit sound waves that cancel out undesirable sound, but are not noticeable to passengers. The technology, which is similar to noise-canceling headphones, specifically targets the low-level rumble noise from the exhaust. The 2006 Lexus IS 350 and IS 250 have sound-absorbing sun visors; the 2007 ES 350, available next month, will have a new type of paint that will help to reduce noise. The 2006 Buick Lucerne has laminated side glass on all four moving windows that reduces noise up to six decibels, the auto maker says, deadening sounds that enter into the vehicle, such as wind noise. There are close to 75 noise-reducing components in the Lucerne including a big damping panel made of foam-like material in the car floor that helps absorb sound; tires with specifically designed tread patterns to cut road noise; an engine cover to reduce engine noise; and water deflectors inside the doors that not only prevent water from entering but also deaden sound.

Upside: These features effectively reduce engine and wind noise, giving you a quiet haven so you can tune in to the car feature that's really important -- your surround-sound stereo system.

Downside: Buick's Lucerne is so quiet that backseat passengers can actually hear front-seat passengers' conversation loud and clear, and vice versa. So parents stuck in traffic with kids in the back would have to be extra careful in venting their frustrations.

Cost: Standard. These noise-damping features are incorporated into the design features of the vehicles. The noise-canceling component in the Acura RL can also be found in Honda's Pilot two-wheel drive, the Odyssey leather models with fuel-saving technology and the Accord Hybrid (in three-cylinder mode).

Comment: Hybrids are typically quiet drives. The interior cabin noise in Lexus hybrids, for example, is even quieter in electric-only mode during low speeds and during stops.

Write to Raymund Flandez at raymund.flandez@wsj.com1
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You know, this intrigued me when I purchased the car, but honestly I am not sure it is all that great. I have noticed when the car's revs rise slowly, one can hear a faint whooshing sound coming from the dash. This occurs until the car upshits and the engine's revs fall, and then the sound goes away. Try it some time and listen carefully. I guess this is the noise cancellation system working. That said, I am just not sure it makes that much of a difference. I guess if one could turn it off (can you?), then there might be noticeable increase in engine sound.

 

Actually, you can put your finger over the front microphone, which "turns it off," so to speak. That way, you can hear the difference. The purpose of ANC is to compensate for low-fequency noises, especially from the exhaust.