BMW i7 testing
The BMW i7 has been undergoing acoustic testing in BMW's laboratories.
Development of the forthcoming BMW i7 continues with focus now turning to acoustic testing. BMW has been refining the acoustics of the car with the aim of ensuring disturbing noises are kept away from occupants. There are a variety of potential noise sources to be taken into account, near-production prototypes of the i7, and all other model variants of the future 7 Series for that matter, have been tested and analysed by development engineers at the Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) in Munich. Motor and rolling noise are examined, as are aeroacoustics and vibrations. This also includes acoustic pedestrian protection and the motor sound emitted in the interior of the i7 – the latter having been developed as part of BMW IconicSounds Electric, a collaborative venture between the BMW Group and Hollywood film music composer Hans Zimmer.
The acoustic test benches at the new FIZ North facility are specially designed to meet the requirements of electromobility and enable all driving situations to be simulated realistically. Here, any irritating noises registered by development engineers during test drives on the road can be recreated and selectively eliminated.
The impressive acoustic wind tunnel allows ambient noise to be eliminated, testing body surface noise from items such as door handles and exterior door mirrors, ensuring these items not only contribute to the car's low air resistance but also to its acoustics. Cleverly large speakers are used to simulate outside noise such as those generated from day-to-day traffic, road construction sites or passing trucks. All this tests the effectiveness of the interior noise insulation under laboratory conditions.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is also tested at FIZ. In the so-called EMC absorber hall engineers test how the prototypes react to be being exposed to powerful electromagnetic fields. The susceptibility of their electrical systems to interference, and how they interact with the environment, ensures there are no issues with the functionality of suspension control and assistance systems via interference from online data, telephone, radio, TV and navigation signals.
The all-electric i7 is anticipated to have a range of nearly 400-miles and to be fully revealed later this year.