Spatial Cabin Audio for Wheel Torque Feedback in EVs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric and hybrid vehicles generate minimal sound, lacking the audible feedback that traditional internal combustion engines provide, making it difficult for drivers to gauge vehicle behavior and control.
Innovation Solution
A method using spatial audio technology to deliver artificially generated vehicle noise, determining a primary sound location based on wheel torque distribution to simulate engine feedback, allowing drivers to perceive sounds originating from specific locations within the vehicle cabin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If electric motors are used to drive wheels, then energy efficiency and emissions are improved, but audible feedback about vehicle behavior is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A spatial audio system acts as an intermediary between the electric motor and the driver, translating wheel torque data into directional sound signals that provide audible feedback about vehicle behavior, thus recovering the lost information channel without compromising energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sound generation of internal combustion engines with an electronic spatial audio system that synthesizes and directs sound signals based on wheel torque distribution, substituting a mechanical phenomenon with an electronic control system
2Loss of information
If artificial sound is generated to replicate engine noise, then audible feedback is restored, but driver awareness of specific wheel behavior is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spatial audio system applies local quality by directing sound signals to specific locations within the cabin based on which wheels are experiencing slip or loss of grip, allowing the driver to locally identify problematic wheels through directional audio cues rather than generic noise
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements closed-loop feedback by continuously monitoring wheel torque distribution and dynamically adjusting the spatial audio output to reflect current vehicle behavior, enabling the driver to receive real-time information about wheel slip and traction conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A method for delivering audible feedback to a driver within a cabin of a road vehicle, the vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels and an electric motor, the method comprising determining the torque delivered to at least two wheels of the plurality of wheels; determining a wheel torque distribution for the vehicle based on the determined torques; determining a primary sound location in the sound space in accordance with the wheel torque distribution; and inputting the primary sound location to a spatial audio system, the spatial audio system providing the audible feedback to the vehicle cabin such that the audible feedback is perceived by the driver to be originating from a virtual audio source at the primary sound location.