New car or old car smells, they can evoke everything from nostalgia and the delight of newness, all the way down to dread.
And especially if you are getting a cab or ride-hailing service…its that moment of expectation before you jump into that Uber or Grab, what is this trip going to smell like?
Fresh? that’s ok.
Sanitized? that’s ok too (the more its smells of Dettol the better?)
But then we get to funky food smells, exotic fruits and cough cough….gaseous excretions from trapped burps or even – shudder – farts.
According to Chris Tsui at The Drive magazine, “Cars consist of an extremely complex mix of materials. The plastic that adorns interiors, the compounds that make up brake pads, the weirdly-colored chemicals and fluids that keep it all running smoothly, etc. They all have a distinct smell.”
In fact many automobile manufacturers and dealerships have started to invest in the olfactory element of their customer experience.
Audi, for instance, has an entire “Nose Team” dedicated to keeping its vehicles smelling nice and luxurious.
How does your ride smell? Any stories of love, hate or despair? Feel free to share…
