http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/ Engadget Comments for Noise-cancelling Toyota Crown zeroes out sounds at head height http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
Personally I enjoy the rough idle sound that comes from my Pontiac Ventura... but then again its not a tree hugging whale kissing moon maiden of a girls car... he he he...]]>Sep 8th 2008 8:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Lala]]>Sep 8th 2008 10:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
go play with your iPod...]]>Sep 8th 2008 2:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
but anyway, does toyota really need to cancel more noise? their cars are quiet enough i cant even notice the engine start.]]>Sep 9th 2008 4:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
As for Alex's comment, I believe you are at least partially wrong. The sound is picked up by microphones and analyzed before it reaches your ears. The speakers then play the same sound, except it is inverted, so your waves 'deconstructively interfere' (cancel out).

It may use a standard sound for the engine, so it can 'predict' this without listening for it (since it will know what the engine sounds like at a given RPM), but for other road noise, it will need to first 'see what it sounds like' before it can attempt to cancel it out. (different pavement sounds different, joints in bridges...).

I'm wondering how much LOUDER the car will be if you move your head out of the sweet spot to grab a tissue or something.]]>Sep 8th 2008 11:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Its pretty much using your car's audio system + some mics & some extra dsp + some good acoustic design.

I bet you turn the system off as well, Want to know if you drive your car around with the audio system turned off to save energy ???? ]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/No one buys luxury cars for their mileage.]]>Sep 8th 2008 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 8:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
What I want to see is noise-canceling for your passengers.]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/'Only' 5-8 dB?
That already quite a lot if you understand anything about decibels...]]>Sep 8th 2008 10:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
http://www.engadget.com/2004/11/22/noise-cancelling-honda-cabins/]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/You are so cool for being irritating when other people know things you don't.]]>Sep 8th 2008 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
http://www.acura.com/index.aspx?initPath=TL_Learn_FeaturesOptions_AudioCommunication_AcuraELSSurroundPremiumSou_ActiveNoiseCancellation]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 10:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 10:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
http://www.engadget.com/2004/11/22/noise-cancelling-honda-cabins/

I remember a magazine article about this technology in a Lotus Esprit, in the early 90s]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/

Saab (the airplane company) used active noise cancellation in their 340 turbo prop to make the cabin quieter.
]]>Sep 8th 2008 9:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 10:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
In my own state, they've recently implemented something called the 'Rumbler', which uses low frequency sounds to vibrate cars... Maybe this could be a way around it.]]>Sep 8th 2008 12:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 9th 2008 12:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 12:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
Maybe if there was an option to turn it off for long highway drives where road noise becomes annoying it would be OK. For city driving, I predict a lot of fender benders. ]]>Sep 8th 2008 6:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
Fifteen years ago, I watched a demo video of this system installed in a Lotus. It is quite effective. It's not 100% effective, though. If they're using it to drown out engine noise, it must be cheaper than insulation.

Forrest: Yes, the ability to target the passengers would have great value.]]>Sep 8th 2008 12:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
Then again, my car actually has an engine worth hearing...as opposed to any Toy.]]>Sep 8th 2008 1:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
To be 100% effective, at whatever frequency, the phase-inverted sound would need to be pumped out at the EXACT SAME TIME as the sampled sound occurred. A processor with ZERO latency would be needed.

Me, I want the point and shoot device.]]>Sep 8th 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/
Wait, don't you want to hear a little road and/or noise? Otherwise you don't know if something went wrong!

--S]]>Sep 8th 2008 7:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 4:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 4:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Sep 8th 2008 9:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/noise-cancelling-toyota-crown-zeroes-out-sounds-at-head-height/Oct 6th 2008 8:51PM