5 professions you would never have imagined in car production

Car manufacturing is usually associated with professions such as designer, engineer or production line worker. However, the development of a vehicle also involves other jobs that require high doses of craftsmanship, creativity and precision. These jobs stand out from the ordinary; in fact, none of us would have imagined that anyone could dedicate themselves to any of the following trades.

1. The test driver

This person is dedicated to studying the performance of vehicles just as they leave the assembly line. For example, the drivers at the SEAT factory in Martorell cover up to 2 million kilometres a year to test every car. On a track with 6 different types of road surface, they carry out several tests at different speeds over cobblestones or uneven ground; this ensures that no annoying noises are produced.

2. Clay sculptor

They craft full-size clay cars that can weigh twice as much as any vehicle and allow the shapes of the car to be appreciated before they take their final form. To do this, they need 2,500 kilos of clay and up to 10,000 hours of work with the spatula to create the so-called clay models.

3. Car seamstress

They hand-sew the upholstery patterns of the vehicle, thinking about the best combination of colours and materials so that it fits the personality of each model. This expert seamstress needs more than 30 metres of stitching to upholster an entire car. To carry out their work, they have to plan two years ahead.

4. Seat tester

Their job consists of designing the perfect seat and headrest. They check the folding of each seat up to 20,000 times. In addition, they must find the most suitable foam, fabric or stitching.

5. Car sommeliers

Their goal is to achieve the famous “new car smell”. The chemists’ team carries out more than 400 olfactory tests a year, exposing the car to temperatures of up to 60ºC.