Nissan has ‘smelling boffin’ with trained NOSE to test car scents

CAR manufacturer Nissan employs a member of staff 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 Leicester University.

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But he also possesses an extremely acute sense of smell, a gift he realised he had from an early age, which allows him to identify more than 15 smell categories.

Nissan recognised he has the ‘nose for the job’ and appointed him as the ‘odour evaluation lead engineer’ at its European Technical Centre in Cranwell, Bedfordshire.

His job is to ensure the life-on-board experience in its new Qashqai model isn’t compromised by any unappealing odours.

Peter, dubbed the ‘Nose of Nissan’, said: “I remember as a young kid playing games where we had to identify different food stuffs, like flavours of crisps, sweets or drinks by their smell alone.

“I was able to correctly identify the difference between the own-brand supermarket items and the leading brands’ products, even when the flavour was meant to be the same.

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

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

“We aim to provide the best sensory experience for the customer. Even though tastes and preferences may change over time smells the same.

“Therefore, it is part of our job to make sure that any material we use is always going to be perfect in terms of odour and that all of the senses are harmonised.”

Peter worked closely with Nissan engineers and manufacturing teams and tested all materials, including the soft material for the 3D diamond-quilted seats, in various conditions to simulate real-world environments.

They must also consider the fact that chemical properties such as smell and temperature can affect these materials.

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

The objective and subjective evaluations combine to create a rigorous process that will lead to the ultimate new-car scent.

David Moss, senior vice president, region research & development, added: “That new car smell isn’t just a consequence of the manufacturing process.

“Months of work are devoted throughout the development phase of the new vehicle to carefully analyse the use of materials and chemicals, such as seat fabric, adhesives, and polymers, to ensure that they don’t combine to generate an unpleasant odour for the car’s occupants.

“It reflects the lengths Nissan goes to in order to make the ownership experience of any new Nissan exactly what our customers hope and expect – even in this very specialised area.”

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