First International Automotive Acoustics Conference at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich

Winterthur, Switzerland – Experts to present current state-of-the-art technology in automotive acoustics. Autoneum, which formerly operated as Rieter Automotive Systems, will host the first Automotive Acoustics Conference in Zurich on July 7 and 8, 2011 in cooperation with ATZlive. In more than 20 presentations, international experts will present the most recent developments for improving vehicle noise and comfort.

The main topic to be discussed during the two days of the conference will be the optimization of the interior noise and the NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) behaviour of materials, components and systems. In response to the latest developments in the automotive industry, the conference is also dedicated to the special acoustic requirements of electric and hybrid powertrains.

“The high number of top-class presentations and the more than 180 participants from major vehicle manufacturers and suppliers based in Europe, the USA and Asia prove that acoustics is of great importance in vehicle development,” said the Scientific Director of the conference, Dr. Maurizio Mantovani from Autoneum. “The growing demands made by the end customers and stricter legislation are now playing an important role in the optimization of acoustics.”

Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Paolo Ermanni, ETH Zurich, the international Acoustics Conference 2011, which evolved from the renowned Rieter Automotive Conference with its over 40 years of tradition and the ATZlive Acoustics Conference, offers a wide range of expert know-how. Autoneum will present its technical expertise as an automotive supplier in various presentations. In an exhibition accompanying the conference, Autoneum will show various product solutions which meet the demands of the end customers and the legislative bodies. The thermo-acoustic engine encapsulation improves fuel economy by keeping the engine bay warm to allow more efficient cold starting. This leads to savings of up to 5 g of CO2/ km per vehicle. At the same time, the engine encapsulation considerably reduces engine noise.

With the new product family Hybrid Acoustics, Autoneum presents a promising innovation offering weight reduction of up to 50 percent compared with a conventional solution for inner dash insulation. Autoneum has also developed new generations of heat shields and carpet systems to allow weight optimization while achieving a high acoustic and thermal management performance. Weight reduction is the most crucial factor for lowering the CO2 emissions of vehicle fleets.