Loudness calculation procedure to study electronic steering column lock noise measurement

In the automotive field, the customer requirements for low interior noise and pleasant sound quality inside a vehicle are getting higher and higher. Various national and international regulatory authorities established and reviewed vehicle inte- rior noise for the past years. Besides, lots of studies have shown that vehicle noise can influence the driver’s perceptions and also his or her driving capabilities. To succeed in this scenario, all manufacturers are investing in technology and research in order to improve their component performance. Working on the noise source so as to reduce the serious- ness of these noise problems can be really effective. However, various engineering techniques are available to deal with noise and sound-measuring instruments, and systems can help to identify the nature of the problem and they can also be helpful in determining the right procedure to analyse the noise problem. This work proposes a procedure to evaluate the noise originated from an electronic steering column lock device which is used to lock and unlock the steering wheel according to European safety requirements. In particular, different standards and requirements for loudness evaluation have been discussed and the formulation of a straightforward procedure, which can be used to evaluate the loudness according to costumer’s requirements, is defined.