Metamaterials R&D TARGETS NVH ABATEMENT

Nissan readies its lightweight acoustic solution for 2022 production - will Hyundai follow?

Acoustics engineers have a broad variety of materials from which to choose for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in vehicles. But their selection often comes with a measurable downside: added mass. It's not uncommon for a new vehicle to gain 100 lb (45 kg) or more during development as various absorbers, reflective barriers and absorber-barrier combinations - typically baked-on mastics, blankets, injected foams and acoustic glazing - are brought to bear.

In an era where “lightweighting rules” and engineers are rewarded on a per-gram basis for cutting vehicle weight, materials researchers are betting on new developments to win the NVH-versus-mass battle. So-called metamaterials offer significant promise here, with a potential added benefit of being less costly than the traditional NVH solutions used by OEMs.