Ford patents artificial engine noise to save fuel

Ford recently acquired a US patent that would enable their small-displacement engines to emit artificial noises; all in the hope of saving more fuel. This new tech produces an artificial noise to make the engine sound like it has more cylinders.   

Due to the ‘slow-revving’ design of the 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine, Ford stated that drivers rev it higher than it should to sound louder and provide an audible cue for up-shifts. This method not only renders the tachometer rather useless, but also negates the EcoBoost’s fuel-saving purpose because of the high revs that take in more fuel.

This led Ford to come up with a simple solution - to install a device in the engine that would make it sound like it revs higher at lower rpms. This device would produce artificial engine noise at a time period between 2 directly-successive ignition events. The noise would likewise make the engine sound as if it runs on 4 cylinders, instead of 3.

The device activates as soon as the driver turns on the engine. After measuring the engine’s combustion speed, frequency, and cylinder firing order, an artificial noise is then produced.

Ford hopes that this device would encourage drivers to shift earlier or within lower rpms to save on fuel and to lessen engine stress.

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