His team carries out a range of tests to get the neutral scent they are seeking. We sell to over 100 countries so we have to make sure that the glues and plastics don't smell terrible in really hot climates. We also leave materials under water for three days to see what they smell like when they are wet. The team, which claims that it can identify the smell of every part of an Audi's interior blindfold, knows which chemicals give off unpleasant odours. The scientists have training sessions with perfumiers to improve their sniffing skills, but some are inevitably more suited to it than others.
Some people just have more sensitive noses than others.
But dedicated PVC sniffers have to make certain sacrifices for their art. They can't smoke, must have high standards of personal hygiene, but can't use heavily scented shampoos or deodorants and they mustn't wear aftershave or perfume. Perhaps most trying of all, they have to watch what they eat. If a new car has an unpleasant or intense smell, customers might not buy it in the first place.