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Relative to Combustion Engine vehicles, electric powertrains are a blank canvas for sound. There are an increasing number of applications where sound is added to enhance the driving experience and increase pedestrian safety. In Hybrid vehicles, the combustion engine sound is not always present and must properly blend in with any additional sound added to the vehicle. Vehicle manufacturers have an opportunity to reinforce their brand identity through the addition of the perfect, target sound. Each brand, market segment, and powertrain require unique sounds. In addition, shuttle or ride sharing applications highlight the need for added sound during other scenarios to reinforce the brand sound. Traditional sound quality measurements and preference testing are very limited in defining the perfect sound due to the subjective nature of sound design.

Technology for automotive active noise cancellation (ANC) such as HARMAN’s Engine Order Cancellation (EOC) system help reduce in-cabin noise levels using a set of error microphones and the vehicle’s built-in audio system to generate anti-noise signals. A major benefit of these systems is that significant reduction in unwanted noise levels in the 20 - 400 Hz range can be achieved without the addition of extra noise control material. However, in the instances where the frequencies of anti-noise signals and music signals overlap, a degradation in the overall music reproduction quality is possible. In this paper, we study the effects of EOC on music playback by applying signal processing and statistical methods to objectively measure degradation in audio content when EOC is active. This study is carried out using production EOC software in a simulation environment.

In-vehicle infotainment (IVI) platforms are getting increasingly connected. Besides OEM apps and services, the next generation of IVI platforms are expected to offer integration of third-party apps. Under this anticipated business model, vehicular sensor and event data can be collected and shared with selected third-party apps. To accommodate this trend, Google has been pushing towards standardization among proprietary IVI operating systems with their Android Automotive platform which runs natively on the vehicle’s IVI platform. Unlike Android Auto’s limited functionality of display-projecting certain smartphone apps to the IVI screen, Android Automotive will have access to the in-vehicle network (IVN), and will be able to read and share various vehicular sensor data with third-party apps. This increased connectivity opens new business opportunities for both the car manufacturer as well as third-party businesses, but also introduces a new attack surface on the vehicle.

Improving the performance characteristics of a typical disc brake encompasses a number of design strategies as well as limitations imposed by cost objectives. Utilizing pad loading uniformity in a design is one strategy that offers an improvement in desired performance characteristics, including a reduction in tapered lining wear as well as a possible reduced propensity for noise generation. To approach this design strategy, a procedure has been developed to tailor the brake pad lining profile to maximize pad loading uniformity in a multibody dynamics model of a typical disc brake. In determining an optimal lining configuration, a suitable compromise for gaining beneficial performance improvements in a cost effective manner is reached. The implementation of this design strategy involves the parametric definition of the lining profile by introducing a series of variables that are linked to the profile markers.