The Leading Noise Reducing Tyre Technologies: How Do They Work?

Let’s face it…

Interior noise is a big factor in the overall comfort when driving.

Everyone expects to drive a car that has low noise levels in the interior. Knowing that most of the noise comes from the engine and the tyres, one of the things you can do to make your rides more pleasurable is to invest in tyres with noise reduction technology.

Noise Reducing Tyres: What Are They And How Do They Work?

Before going in detail and elaborating more on the actual tyre technologies that contribute to less noise in the cabin, let’s explain how tyres are nowadays optimized to deliver more comfort.

As we said above, the tyre noise that we hear inside a car is common and caused by the vibrations that result from the tyre deforming and regaining its shape as it rolls on the road. These vibrations are transferred from the tyre to the vehicle’s suspension and chassis. Then, they are transferred to the passenger cabin as low-frequency resonance noises of around 225 Hz (on average).

One of the innovations to fix this problem were noise reducing tyres – or basically – tyres which “wear” a spongey polyurethane mat to their insides which can help and reduce vibrations. The original concept of tyre noise reducing systems was patented by a group of Japanese scientists, who concepted the technology and examined how it would affect the gravity and overall driving experience.

As a result, noise reducing tyres started emerging and brands such as Pirelli, Goodyear and Continental first adopted them in their lineup. However, each brand approached this technology in their own way, which is why it is interesting to go through all of the leading noise reducing tyre technologies available on the market nowadays.

Pirelli Noise Cancelling System (PNCS) Claims To Reduce Noise By 25%

While the PNCS technology by Pirelli was not the first one that emerged on the market, it is definitely the most sophisticated one from the Italian tyre manufacturer. The system by Pirelli has been on sale since 2013 and was used in some of the leading carmakers, especially the brands in the premium and prestige sectors.

The claims that Pirelli made with this technology were bold – they see the PNCS technology as one that can reduce noise by up to 25%, or in other words, making the noise as if the car was traveling on only three wheels.

With the use of a specific sound absorbing material that is placed within the tyre, Pirelli’s system absorbs the vibrations in the air which would be otherwise transmitted to the inside of the vehicle. However, Pirelli also advised that the PNCS technology is only as good as the tyres are specifically made for the specific cars.

Tyres equipped with this technology can be recognized by the unique PNCS symbol on them. The iconic Pirelli P-Zero model has the PNCS technology incorporated in it.

Goodyear’s SoundComfort Technology Lets Drivers Experience “Up To 50% Less Noise”

As we said above, Goodyear is among the brands that are pioneering the tyre noise reduction market. With their SoundComfort technology, the scientists and experts at Pirelli claim to reduce the interior cabin noise that is produced by the wheels – by up to 50%.

Designed with a built-in sound barrier that acts like a cushion for the tyres, and perfected with an acoustical barrier that reduces air vibrations and dampens the interior noise in the car, the vehicle cabin is half as quiet compared to regular tyres.

Models including the EfficientGrip family, Eagle F1 and UltraGrip Performance all adopt the SoundComfort technology, resulting in rides that extend the comfort and reduce any noise that is transmitted to the vehicle’s cabin.

ContiSilent By Continental Gives “Less Noise And More Relaxation”

Continental is one of the leading brands on the market with a fair coverage of vehicles all around the world. As one of the leaders in the tyre industry, it has also developed a noise reducing tyre technology that focuses on the same principle. In other words, the ContiSilent tyres are wearing an inner absorber in the form of a polyurethane foam, which is attached to the inner surface of the tread area with an adhesive.

Whatever the outside temperature is, the shape of the ContiSilent tyres won’t change. In addition, this technology can reduce interior vehicle noise up to 9 db(A), but this number still depends on many factors such as the type of vehicle, the speed at which it is going as well as the road surface.

Currently, the ContiSilent technology is only available for summer tyres and is compatible with many rims. There are no negative sides to it and it does not affect mileage, load/speed ratio and other common metrics. The ContiSportContact, CrossContact and IceContact are some of the popular tyre families that are adopting this technology.

Michelin Acoustic Technology Can Significantly Reduce Interior Noise And Vibrations

Michelin’s Acoustic Technology was designed in the same way like other leading brands – to reduce vibrations caused by the road and reduce the interior noise in the cabin. As such, Michelin claims to reduce interior noise by approximately 20%.

By using a custom designed polyurethane foam solution, the Michelin tyres muffle noise resonance, resulting in greater comfort in the cabin. In the long run, Michelin claims that a technology like this can lessen driver fatigue, especially on longer drivers.

Optimizing the air in a cavity is what Michelin does with the Acoustic technology, varying the pressure inside a rolling tyre, even in conditions such as heavy traffic. In situations like these, this technology can help and is very useful to drivers. The Pilot Sport 4 is one of the most sophisticated models by Michelin, and one that has the Acoustic technology inside its structure.

So, Are Noise Reducing Tyre Models Good For You?

Obviously, tyres that are optimized to deliver less noise have a tremendous benefit compared to others. Knowing that these technologies cannot affect tyres in a negative way, you can only gain more comfort knowing that your tyres produce less noise.

Whether this means that your kids can sleep better or you can listen to music without much distraction, having a set of noise-reducing tyres is great. However, you should also know that plenty of factors go into choosing and fitting tyres like these to your vehicle. Also, you should not expect to get a quiet cabin when driving on bumpy roads, driving with high speeds or having a vehicle with a loud engine which produces greater noise than your tyres.

For the best advice on which noise reducing tyres are great for your car, contact us at 800 255 89737 or visit our online store and browse tyres by brand. We hope that this article helped you understand how noise reducing tyre technologies work and what benefits they can bring in the modern world.