Do you know how you stay comfortable inside the cabin of a GMC Terrain? By using science! Thanks to one individual!

GMC engineers like to call him The Iceman, but he also goes by his legal name of Jeff Bozeman. He's "a high-tech top gun whose team created a way to make vehicle passengers feel much warmer or cooler than the cabin temperature in which they are seated." He tested the initial results in 2012 GMC Terrain, available from Nalley Buick GMC in Brunswick, GA.¹

"Maybe it's my Dutch heritage, but I'm hyper-focused on finding ways to improve driver and passenger comfort while using the absolute minimum amount of energy possible," said Bozeman.¹

The testing took place at GM's Climatic Wind Tunnel in Warren, Michigan. This environmental chambers has the capability to replicate temperatures from negative 40 to 140 degrees F.

Bozeman used 'virtual dummies' to spotlight the exact positions where climate control air streams would deliver the most comfort, without shooting air that is too cold or too warm onto occupants. Monika, a dummy created by a sensor and wire gird, was put in the test Terrain. She was then doused with powerful hot and cold air from every possible angle. 'She' presented detailed feedback to the project engineers. Virtual testing is a great way to accelerate development to deliver the final product to the customers even quicker.

"We can better understand things like skin temperature and perspiration and can get a read on a wide range of shapes and sizes of GMC customers," The Iceman added.²

Source: ^1,2http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gmc-creates-virtual-hot-and-cold-comfort-2012-01-06