Noise-cancelling technology is so popular it’s almost standard in any decent pair of new headphones now but Bose want to take that technology to entirely new dimensions.

Gone are the days of having to actually listen to and acknowledge the things happening around you and most importantly, the people – bleurgh! With any of the plethora of noise cancelling headphones available today we can slip on our music and shut out the world, using tech to actively cancel out noise beyond your cans. Bose are taking this privilege to cars to get rid of all of that annoying ambient rumbling so you can listen to your music on the road with no distractions.

Bose are evolving their acclaimed noise-cancelling technology, QuietComfort, to bring it to change our listening experiences when we’re in our cars and driving on the road. Their new Bose QuietComfort Road Noise Control (RNC) technology is now available to global car manufacturers to cancel out the noise of the road beneath your tyres and the shudders of your vehicle’s frame.

The RNC technology works using accelerometers on the vehicle’s body to measure vibrations coming through the car that cause noise. They use the information from the sensors to create an acoustic cancellation signal which they can then output through the vehicle’s speakers to cancel out as much of the targeted noise as possible. The technology listens and adapts as it travels over different services as well as apparently adjusting it’s process as the vehicle ages as well for the best results.

Bose Automotive’s manager for Active Sound Management Solutions, John Feng said: “For years, we’ve been asked why we can’t simply adapt our noise cancelling headphone technology to vehicle cabins for a quieter driving experience. But we know it’s much more difficult to control noise in a large space like a car cabin compared to the relatively small area around your ears. However, through research advances and our relentless efforts to solve tough problems, we’ve achieved a level of road noise reduction that sets Bose apart from competitive offerings.”

At first it seems like it could be a risky move as being aware of your surroundings is rule number 1 when you’re driving. But the sensors are built into the vehicles frame to sense vibrations running through the vehicle but aren’t able to cancel any sounds that aren’t specifically travelling through the vehicle. So car horns, sirens, and even the sound of wind as a lorry passes will still be just as audible.

Bose will collaborate with manufacturers during the vehicle development process to custom-engineer QuietComfort RNC into the car. Tuning adjustments can be made quickly and easily throughout the development cycle, and the solution is available for vehicles with or without Bose premium sound systems. QuietComfort RNC is planned to be in production models by the end of 2021.