Ford Will Make Its Small Engines Sound Thirstier So People Use Them More Efficiently
We think of artificial engine sound as something manufacturers are piping into the cabins of performance cars to add a dash of excitement to proceedings, but Ford is looking at applying the idea for a rather different purpose. It’s just applied for a patent for a new type of artificial noise-creating device which will apparently make its users drive more efficiently.
The problem is that many people ‘shift by ear’ rather than using the rev counter, and those driving cars with Ford’s smaller engines - like the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder Ecoboost unit - tend to change gear at much higher revs than they would with a larger engine with more cylinders, sapping efficiency. In the patent, Ford says: “a time period between two directly successive ignition events of the internal combustion engine is determined. A superimposed noise is then generated at a time between the two directly successive ignition events.”
In other words, by inserting artificial noise at the right points in the ignition cycle, Ford will be able to make a dinky engine sound like it has more cylinders. The theory is that with the sound of a larger engine with more cylinders hitting their ears, drivers will be more likely to shift up earlier.
It’s too early to say whether or not this intriguing piece of technology will actually make its way to Ford’s production cars, but we’ll certainly be watching with interest…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
The sound an engine makes is the engines personality. You cant fake a personality.
You haven’t met my ex-wife.
I haven’t driven the 1.0 EcoBoost, but I have driven my moms 1.2 litre 3 cylinder Peugeot 208, and lemme tell you, 3 cylinder engines doesn’t have any personality and they sound like crap.
I see you’ve never met Chris Evans.
Have you ever head a V4 engine roar in person.. It’s like losing your virginity.
Wouldn’t waste more fuel because it sounds better and they and more of it?
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Ford doesn’t do f*cking automatic gearbox ? They better work on this …
Why don’t the manufacturers stop taking the easy option and start designing more efficient engines instead. 😅
This is stupid. People rev smaller engines harder than large one due to them having less power and torque. I honestly can’t see someone changing gear earlier just because of the sound the “engine” makes. Perhaps it would work the first few times you drive it, but your brain will learn that this is no good and start ignoring what you hear.
Well bad drivers usually change gears because of the noise it makes, whilst having this weak 1.0 litre engine you literally have to use a lot of the revs in order to keep up with the traffic lol. Thats what i felt when i drove one.
Ahh, so they’re trying to make the Fiesta sound like it has the capability of mowing crowds like it’s big brother, the Mustang.
Just heard that Ford developed a new kind of turbo that does absolutely nothing but fakes it’s whisper, so you’ll think you have the powah, surely making you drive safer… Best thing all 2017 models will be equipped with this magic, for FREE!!!44!4!
That’s like making food taste better so people would eat less…
Totally fitting comparison, I think. I’d take it further, however, and compare this technology to fast-food (think McDonalds). It doesn’t really have any substance but people still keep eating it because it artificially tastes nice. Similarly, I would rev the engine even more if it sounded better than it really should. Imagine a 3-cylinder sounding like a Ferrari V12 with this technology :O
Pressing the loud pedal and waiting for power like…