Whether it’s a choice between a purchase or service, an EV or autonomous car, as the market evolves and narrows the user experience will be the ultimate differentiator. As Mark AllmanWard, Senior Application Specialist, Brüel & Kjær, explains: “Aesthetics has traditionally been a key focus area for OEMs – but when you sit in a car, you can’t see its colour! Meanwhile, speed limits cap your max speed and give a similar driving efficiency. That leaves the driving experience as the differentiator: suspension, driving dynamics and noise, vibration and harshness.”
NVH has long played a subtle but important role in the driving experience. From the slam of the car door to the beep of a low fuel warning, the wrong noises can make a car sound cheap and unreliable – regardless of the actual cost and quality. The right noises add a sense of premium quality, and even pleasure and excitement, and the vehicle’s sonic identity can further differentiate the model or brand as a whole. Future trends and technologies bring more opportunities to develop the driving experience through NVH.