When we talk about cutting pollution, and about ecofriendly production methods and products, this means more than just staying within the limits for CO2 emissions and other pollutants, no matter how intuitively and immediately we may make this connection. When we talk about pollution, especially in the automotive industry, we are also talking about sound, and therefore noise pollution. This is why Pirelli has been making tyres employing PNCS (Pirelli Noise Cancelling System) technology for more than five years, capable of attenuating the noise produced by vibrations and conveyed into the vehicle's interior.
It is primarily a matter of driving comfort. For the pleasure of enjoying the silence when you travel: enjoying the moment, enjoying your surroundings, your company, or just enjoying driving itself, as you proceed silently along the road. After all, the experience of driving – especially when you are alone – is a voyage in two directions: towards a physical place and on a voyage of introspection, and the latter is much more easily reconciled with silence. But it's also a matter of safety: noise means distraction, and causes mental fatigue and stress. Silence helps you focus your attention on what is happening on the road, reducing risks to yourself and others.
In parallel with the development of tyres, Pirelli specialises in complementary technologies, such as the Run Flat – to continue driving for up to 80 kilometres even with a flat tyre – and Seal Inside – self-sealing tyres that repair themselves – as well as the PNCS, launched on the market in 2013.
The Pirelli Noise Cancelling System takes the concept of comfort and well-being on board even farther, reducing noise levels inside the vehicle and noise caused by friction between the road surface and the tread, thanks to a particular sound-absorbent material placed in the cavity of the tyre. Noise is in fact caused by stress on the structure and inside of the tyre, which is conveyed to all components and reaches the cab and its exterior. Pirelli has attenuated hum by acting directly where it originates, covering the cavity inside the tyre with a sponge made of open-cell polyurethane to absorb vibrations, reducing noise levels to three decibels: a total reduction of about 25%.
In the past twelve months Pirelli has practically doubled the number of PNCS tyre approvals (recognisable by the speaker icon with crossed-out sound waves printed on the side of the tyre): there were 78 of them in December 2017, and just over a year later there are twice as many, a total of more than 150. The tyres are particularly appreciated by premium and prestige automobile makers, who want them mounted on their new cars to offer top-quality comfort on board.
“Our company's contribution to the development of complementary technologies such as the Pirelli Noise Cancelling System has been gratified by almost 3100 approvals received, including more than 770 for specialty vehicles and more than 720 marked with the manufacturer's identifying symbol,” explains Technology and Innovation Executive Vice President Maurizio Boiocchi. “The presence of tyres with technologies like PNCS demonstrates to motorists the importance of choosing tyres developed specifically for the car you drive. This is the only way to get the most out of your vehicle, which will be able to continue offering the features the engineers who designed it had in mind. Proper tyre maintenance is equally important: keeping your tyres at the pressure recommended by the manufacturer helps keep down the level of noise produced by rolling stress.”
