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Traditionally, powertrain sound quality targets have been set by making judgements about wide open throttle acceleration sounds played in a listening room. This paper describes a recent project in which fourteen target sounds were evaluated against twenty-six existing cars including competitors and current models, using the interactive NVH Simulator approach. It explains how a minimum data method, based on existing historical data, was used to create and validate a simulator model for each car which could be freely-driven but had a limited driving envelope. The study highlights the role of key programme decision makers and summarises the benefits offered by interactivity in the process of developing, evaluating and signing off vehicle sound quality targets.

To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of decision making during vehicle development programmes, new interactive NVH simulation tools have been introduced. For their optimum use during the target setting of NVH attributes new methodologies need to be established. A valuable step in achieving this is to further understand opinion forming processes during on-road appraisals. To achieve this however new approaches to capture the events of an appraisal are needed. This paper reports on the first steps taken towards developing these new approaches and demonstrates how attitudes towards vehicle sound quality and driver behavior can vary depending on the personality traits of the assessor and their role within the OEM. This insight will provide a benchmark to compare how expert assessors and customers make decisions.