Vehicle noise reduction for vehicle occupants

1. A vehicle comprising:

an operational component external to a cabin of the vehicle, wherein noise generated by the operational component increases with a duty level of the operational component; and

a computer processor reducing a level of the noise entering the vehicle through a window of the vehicle by setting the duty level of the operational component to less than a maximum duty level of the operational component, and the duty level of the operational component is based on:

a first duty map, wherein the first duty map reduces the duty level of the operational component based on a position of the window being in an open position, and

a second duty map, wherein the second duty map further reduces the duty level of the operational component based on detecting a presence of a sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle with a sensor.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:

the operational component includes a rotating component;

the noise generated by the operational component increases with a speed of rotation of the rotating component; and

the computer processor is further configured to control the speed of rotation of the rotating component based on the position of the window of the vehicle and:

the presence of the sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second duty maps identify a percentage of the maximum duty level of the operational component;

wherein the computer processor is configured to set the duty level of the operational component according to the first and second duty map.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operational component comprises at least one of:

an electric cooling fan;

an electric compressor;

an alternator;

a power steering pump; and

a water pump.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor stores a plurality of duty maps, wherein each of the duty maps comprises a separate percentage of the maximum duty level of the operational component based on the position of the window, or the presence of the sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle.

6. A method for a vehicle, the method comprising:

a plurality of sensors detecting a position of a window of the vehicle; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) reducing a level of noise entering the vehicle through the window by setting a duty level of an operational component of the vehicle to less than a maximum duty level of the operational component, and the duty level of the operational component is based on:

a first duty map, wherein the first duty map reduces the duty level of the operational component based on the position of the window being in an open position, and

a second duty map, wherein the second duty map further reduces the duty level of the operational component based on detecting a presence of a sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle with a sensor;

wherein the operational component is external to a cabin of the vehicle; and

wherein noise generated by the operational component increases with the duty level of the operational component.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the operational component includes a rotating component;

the noise generated by the operational component increases with a speed of rotation of the rotating component; and

setting the duty level of the operational component comprises setting a speed of rotation of the rotating component.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

the plurality of sensors further detecting:

the presence of the sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6 ,

wherein the first and second duty maps identify a percentage of the maximum duty level of the operational component; and

wherein the ECU sets the duty level of the operational component according to the first and second duty map.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

the ECU setting the duty level of the operational component responsive to the sound-reflecting structure being proximate to the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the operational component comprises at least one of:

an electric cooling fan;

an electric compressor;

an alternator;

a power steering pump; and

a water pump.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a hardware processor of a computing component, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the hardware processor to perform a method for a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a position of a window of the vehicle; and

reducing a level of noise entering through the window of the vehicle by setting the duty level of the operational component to less than a maximum duty level of the operational component, and the duty level of the operational component is based on:

a first duty map, wherein the first duty map reduces the duty level of the operational component based on the position of the window being in an open position, and

a second duty map, wherein the second duty map further reduces the duty level of the operational component based on detecting a presence of a sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle with a sensor;

wherein the operational component is external to a cabin of the vehicle; and

wherein noise generated by the operational component increases with the duty level of the operational component.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the operational component includes a rotating component;

the noise generated by the operational component increases with a speed of rotation of the rotating component; and

setting the duty level of an operational component comprises setting the speed of rotation of the rotating component.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises: detecting:

the position of the window,

and

the presence of the sound-reflecting structure proximate to the vehicle.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

setting the duty level of the operational component responsive to the window of the vehicle being open.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 ,

wherein the first and second duty maps identify a percentage of the maximum duty level of the operational component; and

wherein setting the duty level of the operational component is according to the first and second duty map.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

setting the duty level of the operational component responsive to the sound-reflecting structure being proximate to the vehicle.