How can vehicles that exceed emission limits be detected more effectively, and air quality in cities be improved? The international CARES project (City Air Remote Emission Sensing) has found an answer. A research team that included experts from the Faculty of Engineering at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague tested modern technologies that enable contactless measurement of emissions from passing vehicles directly under real-world driving conditions.
Measuring Emissions Without Stopping Vehicles
The main objective was to develop and verify technologies capable of automatically measuring emissions from passing vehicles without stopping them. This approach significantly speeds up and improves the efficiency of monitoring the actual condition of urban vehicle fleets, while also providing more accurate data on real-world emissions under normal driving conditions. The researchers used several methods, ranging from measurements taken by roadside equipment to mobile measurement systems installed in vehicles monitoring traffic.
“The CARES project has demonstrated that modern contactless emissions measurement can be a highly effective tool for both cities and public authorities. Measurements under real-world driving conditions not only provide valuable feedback on the actual benefits of new engine technologies and exhaust aftertreatment systems but also make it possible to identify vehicles producing excessive levels of pollutants much more accurately and thus protect air quality and public health more effectively,” said Professor Michal Vojtíšek, who was responsible for the project on the Czech side.
Read more in the online magazine ŽIVÁ UNIVERZITA.
