VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics!

While Audi continues to remain hard at work in bringing up their e-tron’s range capabilities with silent electric motors, so too are their sound engineers to not only ensure pedestrians hear it, but to also give it a distinction that says it’s an Audi.

Rudolf Halbmeir, an acoustic engineer, relates that sound is not intellectual, but emotional, and is best experienced first-hand.

Sound plays a crucial role in the driving experience, sending signals to the driver. Low-range frequencies (the sweet rumbles of a V8 perhaps) suggest power and composure, while mid-range frequencies emit sportiness and agility.

However, with electric motors; as speed increases, so does the intensity of high frequencies, which would just be deafeningly annoying.

This is why the Head of Acoustics at Audi, Dr. Ralf Kunkel, leads the charge in formulating a ‘pleasant sound’ for the e-tron.

In hind’s sight, it’s usually the sound of a car that lends distinction to a particular brand. Look at Lamborghini and Ferrari for instance. Connoisseurs of these marques can usually tell them apart, just by listening to the engine as it cruises by.

According to Dr. Lars Hinrichsen, the e-tron itself generates its sound by the millisecond and goes on to explain that the “Data relating to the electric motor’s rotational speed, vehicle speed, loads, and other parameters is continuously supplied by the vehicle to the control unit. It then uses this data to generate sound.”

In order to help in Audi’s quest for a “pleasant” e-tron sound, Rudolf Halbmeir along with colleagues from Axel Brombach and Dr. Lars Hinrichsen have teamed up to create that certain uniqueness about it.

A sturdy loudspeaker has been attached to the car’s undercarriage and is capable of handling a peak of 40 Watts, even though it will be functioning between 5W and 8W.

At that particular range, it is considered to be sufficient for nearby pedestrians and/or cyclists to hear an e-tron approach.

Now lets listen to the new “Audi-o” shall we?

Source: Audi

COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS PLATFORM:

04-14-2012, 01:28 PM	#2
zuruzuruz Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ampang Posts: 184 Likes: 57 Liked: 41 / 19 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! can somebody tell me what’s the point of making up artificial sounds of an engine? doesnt excite u at all..! might as well slap on a straight pipe cap ayam to make up noisy sounds.. just face it, in the future when mechanical engines are no longer relevant, the sound of a DC motor would be a boring sound.. no more grumbles of intake pipes or exhaust pipes with high overlapped cams and such…
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04-14-2012, 07:16 PM	#3
thespecialist 5bhp Stock Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 13 Likes: 1 Liked: 3 / 3 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! Quote: Originally Posted by zuruzuruz can somebody tell me what’s the point of making up artificial sounds of an engine? doesnt excite u at all..! might as well slap on a straight pipe cap ayam to make up noisy sounds.. just face it, in the future when mechanical engines are no longer relevant, the sound of a DC motor would be a boring sound.. no more grumbles of intake pipes or exhaust pipes with high overlapped cams and such… So that pedestrians who rely on their ears rather than their eyes don’t get run-over by an electric car.
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zuruzuruz (04-16-2012)

04-15-2012, 12:34 PM	#4
sky_vspec Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 83 Likes: 12 Liked: 7 / 5 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! Okay. Performance manufacturers should be developing sound clips by now. In future, we can just buy, download and install. Perhaps there’s cracked version of it.
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zuruzuruz (04-16-2012)

04-16-2012, 08:08 AM	#5
zuruzuruz Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ampang Posts: 184 Likes: 57 Liked: 41 / 19 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! Quote: Originally Posted by thespecialist So that pedestrians who rely on their ears rather than their eyes don’t get run-over by an electric car. lol… i guess ure right, especially for those who dont really like to honk ppl i guess. lol ———- Post added at 08:08 AM ———- 6 hour anti-bump limit – Previous post was at 08:05 AM ———- Quote: Originally Posted by sky_vspec Okay. Performance manufacturers should be developing sound clips by now. In future, we can just buy, download and install. Perhaps there’s cracked version of it. thats just the beginning of it.. lol .. who knows that someday some pimp my ride wannabe will use mp3 songs for their engine sound.. :((
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04-16-2012, 03:22 PM	#6
langsuyrx 200bhp Stage II Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kay L Posts: 249 Likes: 16 Liked: 37 / 29 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! sounds like tron heheheh..
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04-16-2012, 03:40 PM	#7
Jay ‘(00) | Contributor Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Kuala Lumpur Posts: 251 Likes: 9 Liked: 607 / 187 Posts	Re: VIDEO: Audi Innovates Future e-tron Accoustics! Quote: Originally Posted by langsuyrx sounds like tron heheheh.. yeap….and if you try looking up the French word étron you’ll be quite confused as to why Audi would have chosen such a name for it. A little boo boo perhaps 😉
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