LAS VEGAS — Nissan Motor Co. showcased a new lightweight, soundproofing material at the CES trade show Monday, which it said can help make car cabins quieter while improving energy efficiency.
The technology uses a lattice structure and plastic film to control air vibrations that limit the transmission of wide frequency band noise (500 to 1,200 hertz), such as road and engine noise.
Most soundproofing materials now used to dampen road and engine noise consist mainly of heavy rubber board. But Nissan’s acoustic material weighs one-fourth as much while providing the same degree of sound isolation, the company said in a statement.
Nissan said its material is cost competitive and in some cases is less expensive than conventional soundproofing materials on the market. That allows it to be incorporated into vehicles where the use of sound insulation materials is limited because of cost or weight.
Nissan has been developing the technology since 2008. At the time, the material was used in high-sensitivity antennas used for electromagnetic wave research.