Hello, my name is Nick. This is my new auto blog. Have you ever wondered about how you can improve the look and functioning of your auto? If so you are in the right place. I live in a large house in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and my house has as many garage parking spots as it does rooms. And believe me, it has a lot of rooms. I like to collect classic cars and then work on them to restore them to their former glory. In doing this, I have learnt lots of cool tricks. I would like to share some of these tricks with you here.
Developments in technology and aerodynamics over the years have made the typical car a lot quieter than it used to be. This trend is becoming even more noticeable as manufacturers move increasingly toward hybrid and electric drivetrains. As the quieter car develops, more attention is being paid to passenger experience and the noise caused by other elements. How is this affecting the tyres on your car?
Road Noise
With quieter engines and less wind resistance, you can easily conduct a normal conversation in the modern-day car. Yet road noise can remain an issue. This is especially the case if you're using older tyres that may not have been manufactured according to the latest innovations.
Rolling Resistance
Tyre manufacturers have been looking into ways to adapt the design of these covers so that they are effectively quieter, without compromising performance or safety. Some of the elements the manufacturers look at include 'rolling resistance,' which directly affects traction, friction and therefore noise. That low-pitched humming sound that you hear as you're driving along could well be caused by the friction of the tyres as they meet the paved surface.
Cavity Resonance
In order to address this issue, manufacturers are implementing techniques to address tyre cavity resonance. This resonance is caused when the air that is inside the tyre itself vibrates as the car travels along the road. To fix this issue, tyre manufacturers have added a special treatment to the interior wall of the tyre itself. They have added polyurethane foam to that inner surface, which has been shown to reduce the amount of resonance within the cavity. Tests have shown that the peak vibration can be considerably reduced by this polyurethane foam, which in turn translates into noise reduction in the interior passenger compartment of the car.
All-Round Efficiency
The manufacturers have also developed this technology so that it is stable over the entire life of the tyre, does not add any appreciable weight to the cover (thereby affecting fuel consumption) and does not impact overall speed. It is suitable for any type of tyre and is cost-effective in terms of your purchase price when buying a new set.
More Developments Coming
This type of technology is still in its infancy and there are a number of other options on the drawing board in the tyre manufacturer laboratories. Expect to hear less and less of your car as you're driving along in the future.
Share31 October 2016
