Soundproofing the interior is very important today, so when a car manufacturer manages to create very good isolated interior is really important.
The all-new Ford Explorer – America’s all-time best-selling SUV – is designed to provide its quietest interior ever, thanks to a first-for-Ford breakthrough that helps keep noise out.
Explorer passengers will enjoy that sense of peace and relaxation courtesy of three sound-reduction features – a first-for-Ford dual-wall dashboard, acoustic glass and Active Noise Control, available only on Limited Hybrid – designed to combat engine, road and wind noise in the cabin.
Explorer’s new dual-wall dashboard is designed to ensure passengers enjoy a cabin free from engine noise caused by vibrations that can manifest in a humming sensation. Separating the engine compartment from the passenger cabin are two walls – one of which is made of sheet-molded composite material – with an air gap in between. The dual-wall dashboard, which significantly reduces the traveling sound that comes with a running engine, mimics a semi-anechoic chamber similar to those used in noise, vibration and harshness testing at Ford’s driving dynamics lab.
Parker Lewis, Ford noise, vibration and harshness engineering manager, says keeping noise out of the cabin with the dual-wall dashboard is similar to the technology used to keep drinks hot or cold.
Just like the multiple layers of the new dual-wall dashboard, Explorer’s windshield and front side windows have not just one layer of glass, but two. These layers are separated by a sheet of clear plastic, creating layers that serve as a buffer between the interior and the outside world.
As new powertrain technology finds its way into today’s vehicles, it can make for unique sound experiences for passengers, so the root cause of noise is not limited to that created by propulsion, wind or the road. Low and mid-frequency noise can contribute to driver fatigue, while higher frequencies can inhibit the ability to hold conversation in a moving vehicle.
