At the Shanghai auto show, Valeo showed a variety of IAQ (interior air quality) solutions to reduce the impact of ambient pollution on a vehicle’s occupants. The EV revolution is well under way in China, but for now urban areas are often still heavily polluted, so improving air quality is a major concern in Chinese cities; 65% of respondents to a recent local study by Sigma use personal protection against pollution while in their cars. Moreover, IAQ is often worse than outdoor air quality because the airflow into a car comes from the lowest layers of city areas.
Valeo’s Shanghai demo car offered a number of solutions to detect and neutralize harmful pollutants inside a vehicle. One of them is a high-efficiency cabin air filter system, which Valeo says stops 98% of PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 nm) and virtually 100% of VOCs (toxic volatile organic compounds). The Valeo IAQ technology suite also allows for dynamic digital monitoring of cabin air quality that can measure pollution levels, to take preventive measures and anticipate maintenance. A sensor automatically activates the air-recirculation mode when PM2.5 particle concentrations are too high, for instance. There’s also a Valeo in-cabin purification system with an ionizer diffusing negative ions to clean the cabin as well as cabin fragrances customized to the passengers’ tastes.
