Sound quality R & D in the Japanese automotive industry

The improvement of drive feel has for many years been one of the major concerns of engineers and executives in the Japanese auto industry. In the late 1980s, intensive efforts were begun to improve passenger compartment sound quality. Since then, a number of luxury passenger cars and sports cars marketed by major Japanese automotive companies have used good sound quality as a sales point. However, the methodology and tools for improving sound quality have been developed separately by each auto company, leading to a lack of systematic strength and mutual compatibility. This problem was recognized by the Noise and Vibration Committee (NVC) of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan (JSAE). This concern was made public at the annual congress in May 2000, after which the NVC established the Sound Quality Evaluation Committee to exchange technical information and set the foundations for cooperation between its members from industry and academic organizations. Because automobiles are international products, the JSAE must put forth a sound quality evaluation methodology that can be applied to major automobile markets regardless of language or driving conditions. This article is intended to outline the efforts of the JSAE in expanding international cooperation in this endeavor.