Smartphone-based active sound design for enhancing engine sound of vehicles

Abstract

This study explores the implementation and effectiveness of smartphone-based active sound design (ASD) in enhancing the engine sound characteristics of vehicles. Traditionally confined to high-end automotive applications, ASD technology utilizes built-in audio systems to improve the auditory experience inside vehicles. This research extends the utility of ASD to standard production vehicles through integration with smartphones, leveraging Bluetooth connectivity for CAN-BUS data, such as engine speed and accelerator pedal sensitivity. The smartphone-based ASD system was implemented in a 6-cylinder gasoline engine sport sedan. Through driving tests, the synthesized engine sound was evaluated alongside real engine sound and artificial sound output, comparing both the smartphone-based ASD system and the conventional car audio-based system. Experimental results indicate that the smartphone-based ASD effectively emulates the sound enhancement capabilities of traditional systems, with minimal discrepancies in performance. This study confirms the potential of integrating ASD technology with consumer smartphones, offering a scalable and accessible approach to enhancing vehicle engine sounds. This expands the application scope of ASD and fosters innovation in automotive sound design.