Similar to the automotive industry, the expectations from customers for the noise and vibration performance of personal vehicles such as golf carts, ATV’s, and side-by-side vehicles has continued to evolve. Not only do customers expect these types of vehicles to be more refined and to have acoustic signatures that match the overall performance capabilities of the vehicle, but marketing efforts continue to focus on product differentiators which can include the acoustic and vibration performance. Due to this increased demand for acoustic and vibration performance, additional NVH efforts are often required to meet these expectations.
This paper provides a sample of some of the efforts that have occurred to further refine and develop the noise and vibration signature for golf carts. Included are discussions regarding the current market and expectations for noise and vibration performance, along with a generalized approach for identifying the key characteristics of the acoustic signature that affect the end consumer(s). A breakdown of the overall system will facilitate a more detailed discussion regarding the performance of individual components and system and their effects on the overall acoustic performance of the vehicle.