A new head and torso simulator (HATS) designed for automotive in-cabin acoustic testing has been unveiled by GRAS Sound & Vibration. According to the company, the 45BD AutoKEMAR (Knowles Electronics Manikin for Acoustic Research) sets a new benchmark for realism, flexibility and repeatability in vehicle sound measurements.
Based on the original GRAS KEMAR platform, this latest artificial head introduces a fully redesigned automotive-focused architecture including wide, flexible positioning capabilities; a user-reconfigurable system – one unit supports multiple applications; ISOFIX-compatible seat mount for secure and repeatable installation; a rattle-free design enabling reliable on-road testing; adjustable height, seat distance, tilt, rotation and viewing angle, coverage of the full ear ellipse and beyond; optional integrated mouth simulator; and low-noise configuration.
“In-cabin sound today is judged by what people perceive, not just what instruments record. With AutoKEMAR, we set out to capture sound from a realistic listening position inside real vehicle interiors, so engineers can make decisions based on data that truly reflects the occupant experience – without sacrificing repeatability,” said Santiago Rayes, product manager at GRAS Sound & Vibration.
Unlike microphone arrays that do not simulate the human body’s influence, AutoKEMAR captures a truer-to-life listening experience. It is developed for automotive acoustic measurements in static lab setups, dynamometer tests, wind tunnel tests and real-world on-road testing.
“Engineers told us they needed a solution that could move naturally within the vehicle cabin while remaining stable and repeatable during testing,” Rayes added. “AutoKEMAR combines realistic human acoustic simulation with exceptional positioning flexibility, making it suitable for everything from lab validation to real-world on-road measurements.”
It enables high-fidelity measurement of audio system performance and tuning, sound quality and sound design, infotainment and DSP testing, speech intelligibility and voice quality, hands-free communication, in-cabin NVH and wind tunnel measurements.
The flexible seat mount and head positioning system enable engineers to simulate different driver sizes, seating positions and viewing angles, making it the ideal solution for headrest speakers, spatial audio and advanced driver interaction systems. The result is a highly realistic human acoustic simulation tool that accurately represents the influence of the human body in the vehicle sound field.
More on GRAS’s latest HATS and other indispensable testing tools for 2026 in the March edition of ATTI – due to land next week.
