That ‘new-car smell’ poses danger

UF Health Podcasts

Aside from the debt, getting a new car is loads of fun. Learning all its features. Feeling fancy when you drive it. And of course, delighting in that new-car aroma.

Its time-limited bouquet hits every time you buckle up, fooling you into thinking you absolutely will go years never sullying your ride with so much as a single wayward French fry.

New research may take away your zest for that new-car essence, however.

A study by researchers at Harvard and in Beijing finds that the volatile organic compounds, or VOCs [V-O-Cs], that create the new-car smell may pose significant health risks.

The scientists analyzed VOC emissions in a new car during summer. VOCs are gases emitted from products or processes. In cars, they come from materials like plastics, leather, and synthetic fibers.

Some are harmless, but others can cause health issues like headaches or irritated eyes, or more serious damage, like lung disease.

The study found that formaldehyde, which can cause cancer with repeated exposure, was the most prevalent VOC in the new car’s cabin. More than one-third of the readings exceeded China’s air-quality standards for car interiors.

Part of the problem lies not with the air, but with the temperature of the car’s interior surfaces. That’s why the new-car smell can be extra potent on a hot day.

Americans spend an average of 5.5% of our lives in our vehicles. So it’s helpful to understand the air-quality dangers lurking in this classic fragrance. The hope is that automakers can one day give us the aroma minus the toxins.

The new-car smell, after all, helps us forget a malodorous byproduct of the dealership experience: the new-car loan.