Are you someone who loves the smell that the interiors of your new car offer? Well, we suggest you take a few good whiffs, because carmakers may soon confine it to automotive history. At least, that’s what Ford Motors is hoping for by leading the way in removing, what it claims, would make its passenger cars safer and more eco-friendly.
The US auto giant has reportedly applied for a patent for an odor-removal process in what industry experts say is another effort to accommodate customer tastes across the world. And yes, you guessed it right. The American car giant is bending over backwards to placate its Chinese customers, who say they hate the new-car smell.
All that smells good needn’t be good for health
Before you get on to that high horse and blame the Chinese for dumping a much-loved odor, be aware that there is a good enough reason for them doing so. Recent reports underscore air pollution as a more significant health threat than smoking or alcohol, with Cells Report Physical Science revealing that pollution indoors is as big a cause for concern as the ones outdoors.
The CRPS, which conducted a 12-day field observation, revealed that the interior environments of multiple vehicles contained significantly elevated levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. These levels exceeded standard rates by a substantial margin, with increases of 34.9% and 60.5%, respectively.
Additionally, validation from a 12-member team at the Beijing Institute of Technology, examining a recently manufactured SUV, detected various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that surpassed Chinese national safety standards. These emissions, noticeable during ‘off-gassing,’ i.e., when a vehicle is exposed to higher temperatures, pose health risks, ranging from cancer to reproductive toxicity and developmental complexities.
Emissions within the car are equally dangerous
The emissions are byproducts of materials used in car interiors, including leather, plastic, vinyl, adhesives, rubbers, and chemicals used in adhering and sealing components. However, it’s not just the health concerns that should have us worried. The entire automobile production process is an environmental challenge.
Historian Mark Foster’s data reveals that a whopping one-third of the environmental havoc caused by cars happens before they even hit the road. Crafting a single car emits a staggering 29 tons of waste and blankets the atmosphere with 1,207 million cubic yards of polluted air. This eye-opening revelation highlights the urgency for a sustainable alternative.
What’s more, they create over-reliance on livestock
Automotive manufacturing significantly fuels the unethical expansion of the animal agriculture industry, primarily responsible for the production of animal leather as a byproduct. This industry stands as one of the primary culprits behind the climate crisis and environmental degradation, based on a Vegan Vehicles Report 2022.
The livestock industry, driven by the demand-supply dynamics, plays a substantial role in global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 14.5 percent or 7.1 gigatons of CO2 equivalent, as estimated by FAO. Additionally, it’s intertwined with practices like rainforest clearance and deforestation.
Moreover, a significant chunk of our freshwater resources, around 92 percent, is channeled into this industry, with one-third exclusively devoted to livestock and animal product manufacturing. These figures emphasize the substantial carbon footprint and high global warming potential linked to car interiors reliant on animal-based materials.
Let’s thank the Chinese for their olfactory senses
So, one must actually thank the Chinese for their olfactory senses that detected something nauseating for the world’s ecological balance. Not that others hadn’t checked in before. Mercedes Benz unveiled a concept car in 2022 that boasted two bio-based leather substitutes and a biotech-derived silk.
The seats, console, and doors of the car are adorned with a blend of Deserttex, a leather-like material crafted from the nopal cactus, and biobased polyurethane by the startup Adriano Di Marti, along with Mylo, another leather-like material produced from fungal mycelium by Bolt Threads. Now, leading automakers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen are integrating these materials into their auto designs.
