FKFS Veranstaltungen

2026 Stuttgart International Symposium
on Automotive and Powertrain Technology

8. - 9. Juli 2026

Session: Stuttgart International Symposium on Automotive and Engine Technology 2026 Vehicle Technology | | 09:00 - 09:30 | 09:00 - 09:30

5 Minute Pitch: Aeroacoustic Vehicle Development under Realistic Flow Conditions

Domenic Staron, FKFS

The aeroacoustic development of vehicles is usually carried out in wind tunnels without moving ground and under steady flow conditions. However, the situation on road is different: The wheels rotate and interact with the flow, the vehicle moves relative to the ground, and the oncoming flow is often unsteady and turbulent. The latter is due to natural wind, wakes of other vehicles, or obstacles at the roadside in combination with side wind. All of these differences have an impact on the wind noise inside the cabin, affecting the passengers’ comfort and thereby safety. Thus, they should be considered in the vehicle development process. In the full-scale aeroacoustic wind tunnel of the University of Stuttgart the relative motion of the ground is simulated with a modular rolling road system. It consists of a long centre-belt, as well as wheel drive units and was developed to feature a low operating noise. As the system leads to a more realistic flow field around the vehicle, not only the noise sources, but also the sound propagation come closer to reality. The active turbulence generator FKFS swing, furthermore, allows the excitation of defined unsteady oncoming flow in the wind tunnel. A comprehensive method has been developed to evaluate a vehicle’s aeroacoustic behaviour with a focus on the passengers’ comfort. It consists of a representative flow scenario, an adapted modulation analysis, and a psychoacoustic metric to rate the annoyance of the wind noise. With these methods, all wind noise aspects can be determined and taken into account for the vehicle development. They are complemented by comprehensive capabilities in measurement technology, signal analyses, and computational aeroacoustics.