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Ford Patents a Way To Remove 'New Car Smell' (freep.com)
Ford has filed a patent for a method of eliminating the new car smell after a vehicle has been purchased. In the U.S., "new car smell" is beloved, but in China, customers find the odor disgusting. From a report: While the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office hasn't issued a ruling on the "vehicle odor remediation" patent application, and Ford hasn't committed to moving forward with the project, the paperwork explains what creates the odor so many Americans like: That new car smell is caused by volatile organic compounds given off by leather, plastic and vinyl. Chemicals used to attach and seal car parts may also contribute to the odor. People notice odors when compounds are released, which occurs when a car sits in high temperatures.
Ford scientists describe baking the car until the odor disappears, which happens after compounds are released. The process described in the patent involves parking the car in the sun, opening the windows slightly, and optionally turning the engine, heater and fan on.The system includes special software and various air quality sensors, and works only when fitted to a driverless or semi-autonomous vehicle. A lot of technology is involved in the patent application. The car would determine whether conditions are right to expel compounds, and the car would drive itself to a place in the sun and bake away the offensive odor.
Ford scientists describe baking the car until the odor disappears, which happens after compounds are released. The process described in the patent involves parking the car in the sun, opening the windows slightly, and optionally turning the engine, heater and fan on.The system includes special software and various air quality sensors, and works only when fitted to a driverless or semi-autonomous vehicle. A lot of technology is involved in the patent application. The car would determine whether conditions are right to expel compounds, and the car would drive itself to a place in the sun and bake away the offensive odor.
Pay a couple of big fat sweaty people to sit in it farting and burping for a couple hours.
Wanna buy a shirt?
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.... that don't require volatile organics in their manufacture. Perhaps this current fashion for glueing everything could be reverted back to rivets and bolts for a start. And there are plenty of plastics that don't release volatile compounds for months after they're purchased - eg you wouldn't be too happy if your food smelt like a chemical plant after you took it out the packaging.
When you've grown up and mummy doesn't drive you everywhere and you have to get yourself to places that don't have public transport or nice men driving Ubers (yes, they're cars too), perhaps you'll understand.
I've not heard of anyone who likes it
You must hang out with an incredibly like-minded group. The new car smell is something that generally polarises people. There are plenty of people out there who like it. Myself included. That said it can't be good for you.
Welcome to Ford. Marketing slogan: The future is built.
Apparently "the future" means that Ford will leave your car idling in the sun while they sell off data about where you live and work to the highest bidder.
On the upside: one good recession and Ford will go bankrupt. They're barely hanging on as it is. Which is why they're getting so desperate with extra revenue streams, like that "selling your personal data" idea. That said, I'm sure the Ford brand will still live on; it has plenty of fans. Whoever buys them will probably just keep the lines running largely as they were before, after ditching Ford's accrued debt.
You people make me envy the deaf and the blind!
People like the associations the smell invokes - an exciting new addition/change in your life that you're going to enjoy - not the odor itself. Same as enjoying the mixture of paint thinner + cleaning detergents + plaster + wood shavings + wet cardboard ... it all combines into "new house smell".
Americans love the smell because they associate it with getting a brand new car. This is a big deal in car culture.
Chinese hate the smell because it represents chemical contamination, something they know all too well. In China when they buy a new apartment and furnish it, there's a period of six months or so when they leave it vacant. They have to let all the materials outgas before they can live there.
So it's the different culture in China where every product is toxic and any off smell means you're being poisoned. Even if you buy from a reputable company there's always some middle manager somewhere who is going to substitute inferior materials for the quality materials her factory paid for and pocket the difference.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
>"People like the associations the smell invokes "
That might be true, but not true as an absolute generality. Some people, myself included, just like the smell, itself. And it varies wildly. For example, from the parent post- I like the smell of paint thinner, but hate the smell of acetone. I have to assume that some of it has to do with genetics and not associations.
... that "new car smell" is actually a perfume! They put that in to mask the actual smell of a new car which is mainly glue.
So maybe just "don't spray it in" would be the obvious way to not have that smell?
"...The process described in the patent involves parking the car in the sun, opening the windows slightly, and optionally turning the engine, heater and fan on...A lot of technology is involved in the patent application."
You parked the car in the sun, cracked the windows, and turned on the fan. This is now considered "science" when removing a smell from a car interior? A generation ago we called this common sense.
I guess I'm getting too old for such patented stupidity.
And no, putting this "technology" into an autonomous car doesn't make you a genius. That just makes you greedy because you're going to charge the customer another $2000 for some bullshit feature they never asked for. Also known as 21st Century product design.
Yeah, the strength of the smell really varies on how long it was sitting on the lot.
I got my new Mini Cooper customized straight from the factory, and damn smell of the plastics off-gassing was enough to give you a headache for the first few weeks I owned it. I ended up having to leave my windows open in my garage to let it dissipate. First world problems, I guess.
Yeah it is like the smell new PCBs have... opening the antistatic bag on a motherboard or video card is more exciting than it probably ought to be!
I like the smell of new tires, shoes, and...may favorite, a freshly cracked can of tennis balls.
I must have been a dog in a past life.
Life is not for the lazy.