Featured artificial sound in the prius speakers?

As far as I know, there is only the Vehicle Proximity Notification System kindly mentioned above by @Leadfoot J. McCoalroller. Other models, such as the Lexus NX300h, do have such systems, described in their New Car Features books (more info) as the ASC (Active Sound Control) System.

ASC is mentioned in the Prius service documentation, but only on the “Abbreviations Used in Manual” pages, which are not model-specific and include other irrelevant terms, such as Electronic Diesel Injection Control.

 

The first gen Volt had a pedestrian horn button, the second gen Volt got the noisemaker.
My Spark has the noisemaker. My 2011 Prius was quiet, the 2012 PiP had the noisemaker.

 

I wore out more than one deck of playing cards attached via wood clothesline clips to the forks on my banana seat bike. The true beta for the products above.

 

Has to matter.
If you watch the video, the sound is obviously matching the shifting points of the transmission, like a real engine would do.
Since CVT transmissions accelerate in one singular arc..no shift points, I'd be curious how it would work.

Not curious enough to buy one.....but curious.

 

The alternator output follows engine rpms. After a shift up, the rpms have shifted down. Their site states it works with automatics, so it should also do so with CVTs. If the CVT doesn't have psuedo shift points, there won't be changes in the produced engine tone from shifting, just like the actual engine sound. Their site has car models that users have reported as working or not; the nots seem mostly due to interference from the cars electrical system.
SoundRacer
Also, users can make their own sound files for the system to use.

It does not work with hybrids, or EVs, but they have another product for them, and the sounds can be broadcast externally to serve as the pedestrian warning noise. With the same ability for user made sounds.
Eveess || SoundRacer

 

Yeah, that's my whole point.
The product is designed to mimick an engine "reving" as it is shifting.
My guess is that if your engine/transmission doesn't "shift" as is the case with CVT's and even Prius eCVT's the product simply wouldn't work.
I believe my Prius-Gen 3, with the planetary gear eCVT transmission had no shift points.

Come to think of it, my Honda Fit has a Sports Mode setting that allows you to use paddle shifters and gives you a "fake" shifting option.

Doesn't matter though. It's a product I think could be fun....if I had an older car, but it's not a product I would seek out for the vehicle I'm driving now.

 

The product is designed to play alternate sounds to mask or enhance the cars actual sounds. There is no reason why it shouldn't work with CVT. The Fit uses an alternator to provide electricity, and the its engine speed does vary during a drive. So this product will make a V8, V10, etc. sound that will follow the revs of the Honda's 4 cylinder. Without shift points, the results may be unsatisfying, but that is far from not working.

The product's site states it doesn't work with hybrids*. That's because hybrids have a DC to DC transformer stepping down the traction battery voltage for the accessory system; the signal caused by the changing speed of the alternator the device measures simply isn't there.
*I think it might work with mild hybrids, and might not with ICE cars with regen systems. It is a question of how the accessory system electricity is produced, and whether there is a device filtering the electric signal before it gets to the outlet.

For me, the fun comes from making your own 'engine' sounds. Seen several posts here about what the Prius noise maker should like. With either device for traditional cars or hybrids and EVs, you can make the car sound like the Jetsons' or whatever. And the hybrid/EV device is capable of broadcasting the noise outside the car.

 

I want the Tailgater's Serenade, only audible behind the car and it plays a loop of the refrain from "It's a small world..."

 

A directional speaker shouldn't be too hard to come by these days.

 

I don't really care HOW the device sync's it's sound. IMO, the whole point of the device is to duplicate SHIFTING/Rev points...and the corresponding rev up and down sound that is produced by a large engined vehicle being driven in that manner. The video of it being used, illustrates this clearly.
Since CVT and eCVT transmissions by definition do not operate in this manner, it precludes the device IMO being able to be used as it is intended.

 

The lesson on how it worked is because you were claiming that it wouldn't work with a CVT. Now it's that it won't work as intended, which I acknowledged in the post you quoted with, "the results may be unsatisfying." You can install solar panels in the shade, they won't produced their rated amount of electricity, but not being optimally used does not mean they won't work at all.

Using this noise making in a CVT car would be like putting the PV in the shade, but many CVT cars do have the psuedo shift points, which would let this device work as intended.

 

I don't know.
I kind of think in life, a LOT of times if something isn't working as intended?- It's fair enough to say it isn't working.

I'm certainly not going to buy the product to see what it "might" do with my Honda Fit CVT transmission. And my Honda Fit CVT does have a "sports" mode that allows "shifting" using paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

I know originally, when I bought my first Honda Fit, I thought I'd really enjoy the "paddle shifters" and being able to "shift" BUT....IMO shifting an automatic transmission using faux shifting points just doesn't have the same feel as actually using a clutch, and a real stick shift.

In discussions in Honda Fit forums, I've found that younger drivers seem to like the "pseudo" shift points and the ability to paddle shift the automatic transmission because it reminds them of driving video games they've played.
For me?
I grew up with real manual transmissions and real stick shifts and clutches. Which I use to like and enjoy. Nothing really matches the reality of the actual thing.

 

This product seems to rely on a 12 volt alternator directly connected to the engine's crankshaft. exhibiting ripple in the DC.

The Prius does not have a 12 volt alternator. The closest to it is the Motor/Generator1, which is a high voltage Alternator that charges the 201 volt (nominally) battery. The 201 volt battery powers a DC to DC converter to charge the 12 volt battery.

M/G1 is not directly connected to the engine's crankshaft and it's RPM and direction are largely independent of the engine, compared to a 12 volt alternator. I am skeptical that any changes in M/G1's RPMs will be visible as ripple in the 12 volt system, but if it were, you could not infer engine RPMs from that.

At speed under 45 MPH, the engine may not be rotating, amplifying nothing is nothing. At speeds over 45 it may be rotating without gas, ideally this would also be silent, but I have my doubts. the emulation is that accurate.

My best guess would be a single constant tone when in Ready.

 

The product's intention is to mask the car's engine sounds with other, prerecorded ones. The Amazon listing states engine sound effects in the title. Plug it into a car with a CVT, and the roar of a V8 matching the car's engine speed will still play through the stereo.

If that is the part you enjoyed about car driving, then the engine sounds weren't important.

The Speedracer home page states it won't work with a hybrid. Our side discussion is in relation to a non-hybrid with CVT.

 

It's a separate "story" since I think we've both talked about the noise maker too much. I was attempting to segue into a distracting entirely different topic.

Plus maybe get the last word. But I think that's probably impossible.

 

can't resist responding

Most interested in the Speedracer would agree with you, and those willing to actually spend money on one probably avoided a CVT to begin with, but for some it is the simple roar of the engine. Honestly, I've continued with this discussion because you took an absolutist's stance; it doesn't meet your wants, so it won't work for anyone. Much like the stance some have in regards to BEVs.

 

Well I do like Devo:

Bob Wilson