By Chris Haak
Do you drive a convertible or know someone who drives one regularly? If so, there may be a lot of “what did you says” and “I didn’t catch that” uttered during the course of most conversations, according to a study published in the Journal of Laryngology & Otology on the noise exposure levels in several different convertible models. (Download a PDF of the full five-page article here.)
The authors of the study tested five different convertibles at speeds of 55, 65, and 75 miles per hour with the convertible tops both open and closed, and measured the noise levels from the passenger seat between 8 and 10 times from the driver’s left ear position. When the tops were open, all windows were also opened, and when the tops were closed, all windows were closed.
