MEMS microphones in general and automotive – a tutorial Just as the semiconductor content in cars is increasing, so do MEMS microphones play an increasing role – both technology and application driven. Technology driven, because the legacy Electret Condenser Microphones are giving way to leveraging the benefits of MEMS technology, in automotive as they have in consumer electronics. Application driven because MEMS microphones play an increasing role in driver and passenger comfort, safety and the way we interact with our cars. This tutorial aims to give a broad overview of MEMS microphones with a particular focus on automotive. The participants will walk away knowing about MEMS microphone technology, its capabilities and (current) limits and applications in vehicles.
Currently, no widely accepted measurement methodology exists for in-car RNC systems. Automotive OEMs, suppliers, and research institutions apply different procedures, measurement microphone configurations, driving conditions, and performance metrics, making it difficult to compare system performance across vehicles, development teams, and research studies. In response to this situation, the NVH And Sound (NAS) Technical Subcommittee under TCAA established a dedicated Work Group to look into developing a common measurement and evaluation framework for in-car RNC systems.
The current market landscape for electric vehicles has in-cabin noise trending quieter and quieter with each new generation of vehicles. But as physical and economic limits for acoustic isolation are reached, that same landscape converges on the same exact experience of quietness for every car, regardless of brand. However, what if this same quiet vehicle was instead thought of as a canvas, allowing for the intentional design of every aspect of the user experience? Active Sound Design is one way to harness these ideas, but when augmented with Active Vibration Design, automakers can embed a deep sense of identity within every vehicle. This workshop, hosted by HEAD acoustics and GHSP, invites attendees to consider how a vehicle communicates its identity to its occupants, and how that can be harnessed through sound and vibration design. This workshop details the process of developing, prototyping, tuning, and deploying multiple Active Experience Design profiles within a real vehicle that attendees of the AES Automotive Audio Conference can drive.
In automotive audio, sound design plays a key role in defining brand identity and perceived quality. At the same time, development is constrained by long approval cycles, tight timelines, and the need for high consistency from early concept phases to series production. This workshop presents a holistic workflow, combining state-of-the-art Active Noise Control algorithms and vast Sound Design capabilities into a seamless, production-ready process. The workshop focuses on the integration of m|klang® e by Müller-BBM, a software framework for Active Noise Control and Sound Synthesis, with Max by Cycling ’74, a widely adopted visual programming environment used by sound designers and digital media creatives. Together, these tools enable designers and engineers to collaborate within a shared environment, starting at the earliest creative stages, continuing through in-vehicle tuning and production deployment, seamlessly reiterating these steps as many times as necessary. Realistic vehicle behavior can be made available within the early stage design process by replaying recorded vehicle signals (e.g., CAN traces), connecting to NVH simulators, or interfacing directly with a vehicle. This allows both the acoustic content and the associated control logic to be designed and evaluated under realistic operating conditions. Acoustic consistency is ensured across all development stages; the same sound behavior heard on a laptop during design is reproduced in the target hardware in the vehicle. The workflow further supports live in-vehicle tuning and the generation of production datasets, including post-production sound updates via software or over-the-air deployment.
