What do sound and noise in a vehicle have to do with conversing fuel? Ford engineers were presented with a tricky problem when they were designing the 2013 Fusion Hybrid: in order to achieve maximum fuel efficiency, the engine had to be tuned in a way that produced undesirable powertrain noise for the passengers.

Thankfully for your ears, they created an innovative solution to the dilemma in the form of Active Noise Cancellation technology. This technology works by canceling out undesirable, low-frequency sounds that the optimal engine tuning produces at lower speeds.

To achieve this effect, three highly sensitive microphones are mounted in the Fusion Hybrid interior headliner – two over the first seating row and one over the rear – to detect and measure engine sound. These microphones send a signal to the Active Noise Cancellation control module in real time.

The module instantaneously and continuously generates opposing sound waves. This reversed wave is directed through the vehicle’s audio system to cancel out any potentially objectionable sound. This all adds up to a car that we think you’ll find pleasant to drive and easy on the ears even as it achieves impressive fuel economy.