The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
The reduction of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in passenger cars, light trucks and similar motor vehicles has always been a subject of concern and study. Recently, increased emphasis has been placed on the reduction of road noise, a major portion of which is generated by the rotating contact between the vehicle tires and the roadway. While attention has been directed to the tires and the tire/road interface, significant attention has also been directed to isolating the vehicle cabin from such exterior sounds with various materials and techniques.
In this regard, it has been found that significant noise pathways exist between the wheel wells, where road and tire noise is concentrated and the adjacent body structure such as the front foot wells.