Slashdot Mirror
Fake Engine Noise Is the Auto Industry's Dirty Little Secret
HughPickens.com writes Stomp on the gas in a new Ford Mustang or F-150 and you'll hear a meaty, throaty rumble — the same style of roar that Americans have associated with auto power and performance for decades. Now Drew Harwell reports at the Washington Post that the auto industry's dirty little secret is that the engine growl in some of America's best-selling cars and trucks is actually a finely tuned bit of lip-syncing, boosted through special pipes or digitally faked altogether. "Fake engine noise has become one of the auto industry's dirty little secrets, with automakers from BMW to Volkswagen turning to a sound-boosting bag of tricks," writes Harwell. "Without them, today's more fuel-efficient engines would sound far quieter and, automakers worry, seemingly less powerful, potentially pushing buyers away." For example Ford sound engineers and developers worked on an "Active Noise Control" system on the 2015 Mustang EcoBoost that amplifies the engine's purr through the car speakers. Afterward, the automaker surveyed members of Mustang fan clubs on which processed "sound concepts" they most enjoyed.
Among purists, the trickery has inspired an identity crisis and cut to the heart of American auto legend. The "aural experience" of a car, they argue, is an intangible that's just as priceless as what's revving under the hood. "For a car guy, it's literally music to hear that thing rumble," says Mike Rhynard, "It's a mind-trick. It's something it's not. And no one wants to be deceived." Other drivers ask if it really matters if the sound is fake? A driver who didn't know the difference might enjoy the thrum and thunder of it nonetheless. Is taking the best part of an eight-cylinder rev and cloaking a better engine with it really, for carmakers, so wrong? "It may be a necessary evil in the eyes of Ford," says Andrew Hard, "but it's sad to think that an iconic muscle car like the Mustang, a car famous for its bellowing, guttural soundtrack, has to fake its engine noise in 2015. Welcome to the future."
Among purists, the trickery has inspired an identity crisis and cut to the heart of American auto legend. The "aural experience" of a car, they argue, is an intangible that's just as priceless as what's revving under the hood. "For a car guy, it's literally music to hear that thing rumble," says Mike Rhynard, "It's a mind-trick. It's something it's not. And no one wants to be deceived." Other drivers ask if it really matters if the sound is fake? A driver who didn't know the difference might enjoy the thrum and thunder of it nonetheless. Is taking the best part of an eight-cylinder rev and cloaking a better engine with it really, for carmakers, so wrong? "It may be a necessary evil in the eyes of Ford," says Andrew Hard, "but it's sad to think that an iconic muscle car like the Mustang, a car famous for its bellowing, guttural soundtrack, has to fake its engine noise in 2015. Welcome to the future."
Can you make my car produce the sound of the Jetson's flying car? I would pay for that!
So, this is bee-sting lips, but for cars?
Pure artifice to match an arbitrary aesthetic, and nothing at all to do with reality?
LOL ... But, honey, the car doesn't make my penis bigger if it doesn't make that sound.
The idea of running the vroom vroom sounds through the car stereo to sound more manly is ... well, kinda funny.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Well the thing is, cylingers are a bit like testicles. Real men have 6, not 4.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
Car enthusiasts who were also audiophiles were surveyed to find out what they thought about the synthesized engine noise. They all complained that the sound wasn't pure enough without Monster cables delivering the full spectrum of "whooshiness" to the speakers.
Yes, all those blind drivers need tactile feedback on the turn signal.
I see what you did there....
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
My hope is that there'll be a way to define your own fake car noise. I'll want my silent electric car to emit a sound like George Jetson's "car".
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
All kids under 10 love to have a playing card clipped into their bicycle spokes. It just sounds so bad ass.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Honestly with your seeming fascination with cocks it sounds like you have penis envy.
Seriously though everyone has different priorities and for some that means having a car with visual asthetics that appeals to them. If you are honest with yourself you can look and see what you spend money on in order to match your own tastes. It's even possible that the asthetic you aspire to is having a larger chunk of disposable income because you don't pay extra for otherr asthetics that cost more than the vanilla default options. I find it annoying when other's choices interfere with my own, like the neighbor with the always too loud car stereo blaring. But if it doesn't affect you, like someone putting body kits, rims, and or expensive paint jobs on a $200 car then what's the point in complaining about it? Get over your own penis envy, and embrace your mishapen and or undersized cock, someone else is bound to appreciate it, focus on finding that person and stop worrying about everyone else's.
I'm working on an app that changes the text input cursor blink rate if your turn signal is on for more than twenty seconds... helps maintain the illusion of driver attentiveness. I have a couple more features to work out (shoe and bicycle part recognition mostly) and then I'll be calling the app "Oh Crap What Did I Just Hit?" Now if I can just tie into the cars backup cam for a screen grab after crashing sounds...
You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office