Description / Abstract:
This SAE Recommended Practice establishes a rating scale for
subjective evaluations of noise and discomfort in motor vehicles.
Through test procedures utilizing specific vehicles on specific
roads, the scale may be utilized to assess the relative
contributions of tires to noise and discomfort. The noise and ride
comfort characteristics attributed to automotive tires have
traditionally been estimated by subjectively assigning number
designations (commonly on a 1 to 10 scale) to the audible and
tactile sensations observed while traversing a given road course in
a vehicle equipped with the tires under evaluation. Regardless of
advances in objective measurements of tire properties related to
noise and discomfort, subjective evaluation will continue to be
necessary for the purpose of establishing the significance of such
measurements. The rating scale of this recommendation is applicable
to assessment of each of the wide variety of audible and tactile
disturbances referred to by such terms as bump, thump, slap, shake,
etc.