Ford: How to turn the Kuga into a whispering car 🎥
SILENCE FROM THE WORKSHOP The interior of modern vehicles is getting quieter. Ford's whisper strategy enables improvements in vehicle acoustics that make striking differences, as in the new Kuga. The video shows just how much the soundscape in a car has changed. In addition to the insulation provided by wheel and engine mounts as well as door seals and tires, the [...]
The video shows how much the soundscape in a car has changed.
In addition to the insulation provided by wheel and engine mounts as well as door seals and tires, the noise level drops. Noise is also actively compensated.
During the development of the new Kuga, Ford examined noise-generating elements to achieve improvements.
Aerodynamic sound shields
In the Vignale trim level, moreover, the addition of perforations in the premium leather upholstery has reduced the proportion of smooth surfaces, which means that noise is reflected less. Under the body of the new, third-generation Ford Kuga are aerodynamically tuned sound shields that limit the penetration of road and wind noise from outside.
Tests 70 different tires
The engineers spent two years testing more than 70 different tires on diverse surfaces in wet and dry conditions, including at various speeds. The aim was to find a tire specification that reduces rolling noise to a minimum while ensuring a high level of comfort and grip. In addition, channels behind the outer panels, which are used for cable routing, are smaller and narrower to limit airflow close to the body.
Combination of two drives
Driving without a combustion engine enables a noticeably reduced noise level. The Kuga's plug-in hybrid system comprises a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine operating on the Atkinson cycle, an electric motor, and a lithium-ion high-voltage battery with a capacity of 14.4 kilowatt hours (kWh).
Together, this powertrain system develops 225 horsepower, which is delivered to the road via a continuously variable CVT automatic transmission.
Sound level of a land rain
In the EV drive mode, which can be selected by the driver, the vehicle is driven purely electrically and thus locally emission-free until the battery charge level is no longer sufficient for purely electric driving. The gasoline engine then switches off completely, and the vehicle is powered solely by the battery and the electric motor. As a result, very low noise emissions of just 52 dB(A) were measured in tests - equivalent to the noise level of a gentle country rain.
Multiple microphones in the headliner
In the Vignale trim level, the Kuga plug-in hybrid (as well as the Vignale versions with the 2.0-liter EcoBlue diesel engine) feature active noise compensation. Microphones placed in the headliner detect unwanted frequencies in the passenger compartment, which can be
opposing sound waves from the speakers of the B&O Sound System are largely neutralized.
