Automakers have gone to great lengths to make their electric vehicles feel a bit less alien. There are some that have created synthetic engine notes to pipe out their non-existent exhausts, while others have even simulated manual gearboxes to replicate the shudder of a sharp gear change. Now, Stellantis is looking into ways to bring the rumble of a V8 into its future electric muscle cars.
According to a new patent that’s been unearthed by the folks at Mopar Insiders, Dodge parent company Stellantis has a trick up its sleeve to make its future electric muscle cars feel a little more analog. The trick in question is a new device that could make the steering wheel rumble like the car has a gas-powered motor under the hood.
According to Mopar Insiders, the patented new Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) system aims to replicate the sound of an authentic ICE vehicle. As the site explains:
At its core, the ASE system utilizes a sophisticated setup that combines sensor technology with advanced signal processing. Sensors strategically placed throughout the vehicle monitor various parameters such as motor speed, acceleration, wheel speed, and torque. This real-time data is then fed to a central controller, which orchestrates the generation of engine sounds tailored to the driving conditions.
But the new cars could do more than just create a convincing synthetic engine note. In fact, in the patents it appears as if there will be a secondary contraption called the Active Vibration Enhancement (AVE) system to generate “vibrations within the vehicle’s structure,” reports Mopar Insiders.
To do this, the Dodge EV could employ a similar, but much larger and more complex, device to the haptic engine that you’ll find in your iPhone. In your cell phone, this little device buzzes to give you the feeling of a button being pressed.
On the car’s much larger scale, the device could instead transmit vibrating and rumbling sensations through the entire electric muscle car. According to Mopar Insiders, this would see a force generator focus different sensations on areas like the steering wheel or drivers seat to replicate feelings like the rev of an engine or the jolt of a clumsy gear change.
With both these systems installed, Stellantis is adamant that it can create a “thrilling” driving experience for its electric muscle cars of the future. But what do you think, is the answer to fun EVs throwing more tech at them, or is it about making them lighter and more agile?