The sound of the engine has a significant influence on the driver's perception of the performance, comfort and quality of a vehicle and hence their overall satisfaction with the product. Therefore achieving the right engine sound inside the vehicle is one of the key deliverables in the NVH process.
In the case of a vehicle fitted with an internal combustion engine this is usually done by tuning the mechanical components whereas in quiet vehicles (e.g. Hybrid or Electric) a virtual engine sound can be generated using sound synthesis algorithms incorporated into the vehicle's electronic systems.
In either case, the task of developing an appropriate engine sound can be made more robust, efficient and understandable by using an NVH Simulator, which is an interactive tool for auralising and evaluating all NVH data (Test and/or CAE) in the correct context (i.e. while driving) at all stages in the development of a vehicle.
Similarly, road noise and wind noise also greatly affect the driver's overall perception of the vehicle, and is an integral part of the total vehicle sound.
This paper demonstrates how NVH simulator technology can be used as a highly effective tool for target setting, identifying and assessing the effect of design changes, confirming the target sound on the road before committing to hardware and even delivering/enhancing engine sounds in production vehicles.