TECHNOLOGY REPORT

The sensory elements of smell, touch, sound and sight are influencing material innovations for vehicle interiors more than ever.

Chinese buyers abhor certain new-vehicle smells. And with forecasters at IHS Automotive projecting annual light-duty passenger vehicle sales in China to reach 29 million by 2020, there are obvious financial motivations for ridding car and truck interiors of the objectionable odors associated with certain widely-used plasticizers and adhesives.