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Modern vehicle interior with tan leather seats, representing the environment for In-Vehicle Acoustics testing and analysis

In-Vehicle Acoustic & NVH Testing

In-vehicle acoustics focuses on the objective measurement and analysis of sound and noise inside the vehicle, supporting NVH engineering, benchmarking, and validation across ICE, hybrid, and electric vehicle platforms.

Accurate Measurement of Vehicle Interior Noise and Sound Fields

Consumers are increasingly expecting high-quality sound systems and infotainment systems with voice commands. This drives the importance of ensuring in-vehicle acoustics and NVH testing, free from reverberation and excess dampening in desired frequency ranges, to the fore.

In-cabin sound quality is frequently cited as a key aspect of how customers evaluate vehicles. But assessing audio quality in environments as complex as the cabin of a vehicle is a difficult task. The in-cabin sound field consists of a mix of varied damping surfaces and hard reflective surfaces, so the sound field varies from free field to random incidence (or undefined).

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Why In-Vehicle Acoustic Testing Is Critical

As vehicle cabins become quieter, particularly in electric vehicles, previously masked noise sources become clearly audible. This increases the demand for high-resolution, low-noise acoustic measurements inside the vehicle.
In-vehicle acoustic testing enables engineers to:

  • Identify and quantify road, wind, HVAC, and auxiliary system noise
  • Analyze powertrain and drivetrain noise contributions
  • Benchmark vehicle interior noise levels
  • Support target setting and objective evaluation
  • Correlate acoustic data with subjective NVH assessments
In-vehicle acoustic and NVH testing setup for validating cabin sound quality and active noise control systems

Repeatable In-Vehicle Sound Field Measurements

Accurate in-vehicle acoustic testing requires controlled microphone positioning and spatial repeatability. GRAS AutoArray solutions are designed to capture high-resolution sound field data at the listener position, ensuring consistency across vehicles, test setups, and locations.

GRAS AutoArrays PR0003 & PR0004
Key Benefits
 

  • Repeatable microphone placement inside the cabin
  • Reduced setup variability between measurements
  • Robust mechanical design for automotive test environments
  • Efficient workflows for NVH and acoustic engineers

Isolated image of the GRAS PR0003 microphone array (3 pairs of microphones) designed for In-Cabin Acoustic Testing

PR0003 - Cross Configuration: A widely adopted configuration used by automotive OEMs for in-vehicle acoustic and NVH measurements.
Explore PR0003 AutoArray

Isolated image of the GRAS PR0004 AutoArray (6 pairs of microphones) used for advanced noise and sound measurement during In-Cabin Acoustic Testing

PR0004 - AES Configuration: A widely adopted configuration used by automotive OEMs for in-vehicle acoustic and NVH measurements.
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Microphones for In-Vehicle Acoustic

GRAS provides precision microphones, measurement arrays and head and torso simulators developed specifically for repeatable, standards-aligned in-vehicle acoustic testing, enabling engineers to capture reliable data in complex cabin environments.

GRAS 46BC – High-sensitivity Multifield Microphone

The GRAS 46BC is specifically designed for multi-field acoustic environments, where sound arrives simultaneously from multiple directions — a common challenge in vehicle interiors. The multifield capabilities of GRAS 46BC combined with the measurement accuracy (particularly at higher frequencies) make it ideal for the job.

Key characteristics:

  • Optimized for complex sound fields
  • Low noise floor for quiet cabin
  • High sensitivity and wide dynamic range
  • Small form factor, suitable for NVH, in-vehicle acoustics, and interior noise testing

This makes the 46BC particularly well suited for realistic in-vehicle acoustic measurements, where traditional free-field assumptions are no longer valid.

Learn more about the GRAS 46BC Multifield Microphone

 

GRAS 46BL-1 – High-sensitivity Pressure Microphone for Cabin Measurements

The GRAS 46BL-1 offers an exceptionally low noise floor for a 1/4" microphone, making it ideal for:

  • Sound field measurements at the listener position
  • Low-level noise analysis in EV and hybrid vehicles
  • In-cabin sound quality and NVH testing

Learn more about the GRAS 46BL-1 Microphone

Working on Audio or Infotainment Inside the Cabin?

In-vehicle acoustic testing targets objective noise and sound field measurements for NVH analysis. When the focus is on how sound is perceived by occupants, dedicated in-cabin acoustic measurements are required. Typical applications include audio sound quality, infotainment performance, and speech intelligibility testing — all based on listener-focused measurements.

Explore in-cabin acoustics for audio & infotainment systems.

FAQ for In-Vehicle Acoustic & NVH Testing

What defines high-quality in-vehicle acoustics?
High-quality in-vehicle acoustics are defined by low unwanted noise levels, balanced sound distribution, and clear audio reproduction inside the cabin. Effective acoustic design ensures passenger comfort while supporting high-performance infotainment and communication systems.

What are the methods of NVH testing?
NVH testing methods include sound pressure measurements with microphones, vibration analysis using accelerometers, acoustic imaging with microphone arrays, and operational testing in controlled environments or on the road. These methods help engineers identify and reduce unwanted noise and vibration.

What is NVH in acoustics?
NVH stands for Noise, Vibration, and Harshness and refers to the study and measurement of sound and vibration generated by vehicles and their components. NVH analysis helps engineers improve vehicle comfort, sound quality, and perceived product quality.