Meet the Nissan Worker With ‘Enhanced Senses’ Whose Job is to Ensure the Perfect ‘New car Smell’

The automaker Nissan employs a staff member who has “enhanced senses” to ensure its products have the all-important “new car smell.”

Peter Karl Eastland has a master’s degree in chemistry and forensic science from the University of Leicester. But he also possesses an extremely keen sense of smell, a gift he realized from a young age, allowing him to identify more than 15 olfactory categories.

Nissan recognized that he has a “nose for work” and named him a “chief odor evaluation engineer” at its European Technical Center in Bedfordshire.

Their job is to ensure that the consumer experience on the new Qashqai model is not compromised by unpleasant odors.

Peter, nicknamed the ‘Nose of Nissan’, said: “I remember when I was a little kid I played games where we had to identify different foods, like flavors of potato chips.” [chips], sweets or drinks just because of their smell.

“I was able to correctly identify the difference between private label supermarket items and products from leading brands, even when the taste was supposed to be the same.

“At Nissan, I work with many different materials, for example polymers, rubbers and adhesives.

“Having a trained nose means that I can tell the difference between fake leather and real leather, or cloth and cloth.

PLUS: The perfume designed by NASA gives you the scent of outer space, without leaving orbit

“Our goal is to provide the best sensory experience for the customer. Although tastes and preferences evolve over time, smell remains a constant.

“Therefore, it is part of our job to make sure that whatever material we use is always perfect in terms of smell and that all the senses are harmonized.”

In contact with Nissan’s engineering and manufacturing teams, Peter and his team test all materials, such as the soft material used for the new 3D diamond-padded seats, in a variety of conditions to reproduce real-world environments.

They should be aware that the chemical properties of these materials, such as odor, can change depending on the temperature.

When a potential new material or chemical is found to negatively affect the overall cabin environment, Peter and his colleagues will identify alternatives to ensure the ‘sanctity’ of the new car smell.

The evaluation process combines objective and subjective evaluation, culminating in a rigorous process that leaves no stone unturned in the pursuit of that perfect new car smell.

David Moss, senior vice president of research and development for the region, added: “That new car smell is not just a consequence of the manufacturing process.

RELATED: What makes the sea smell so unique?

“Months of work goes into the development phase of the new vehicle to carefully analyze the use of materials and chemicals, such as seat fabric, adhesives and polymers, to make sure they do not combine to create a unpleasant smell for the car. occupants.

“It reflects everything Nissan does to make the ownership experience of any new Nissan exactly what our customers expect and expect, even in this highly specialized area.”

SEARCH fascinating stories for your friends, share this …