In a move to appease drivers in China, Ford has taken steps to reduce one of the aspects that western drivers have come to love; the new car smell. Many buyers in Europe and the Americas have come to love the smell that comes with new cars. The vehicle smells clean and comfortable, which is what many consumers thoroughly enjoy.
However, this is not the case in China. In the Chinese auto market, buyers associate the new car smell with chemicals. In fact, many Chinese drivers are afraid that when a car possesses such a strong odor it may negatively affect their health. To many of these drivers, how the car feels and smells on the inside is much more important than the vehicle’s speed and performance.
In order to combat the new car smell, Ford has put to effective use a team of expert smell assessors. It is the task of the assessors to examine each piece that goes into the interior to make sure that it doesn’t carry any sort of noxious smells. Any piece that doesn’t come off as odorless will get sent back. The Chinese market is very invested in odorless interiors; even if the scent in the car is “good”, buyers believe that it could end up being bad for their health.
Performing as a smell assessor for Ford isn’t a light task. Like other testers, there are certain steps that the smell assessors must take in order to make sure that they can perform their job to the best of their ability. Assessors must not drink or smoke. Some assessors take further steps, limiting what they eat or wear to assure that their senses are at their best. In a market where unpleasant odor is the biggest concern for drivers, these smell assessors are integral and will surely play a big part in Ford’s future ventures in China.
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