Decision Makers Appreciate DEKRA Expertise on Vehicle Emissions

In Geneva, transport ministers, state secretaries and ambassadors from more than 50 countries have gathered for the 82nd session of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC), the highest decision-making body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on transport. As part of the conference, the international expert organization DEKRA is informing participants about the latest technological developments in vehicle emission measurement.

• ITC is the highest decision-making body of UNECE on transport
• DEKRA experts show latest emission measurement technologies
• Bouvier: “Reduce variations in measurement on the road and in laboratories”

“The accurate measurement of emissions is not only essential in ensuring that vehicles comply with air pollution limits, but also supports informed decision-making by consumers based on advertised emission test results”, said Nicolas Bouvier, Executive Vice President and Head of the Vehicle Inspection Service Division at DEKRA. “Reducing the variations between emissions measured in real driving and in laboratories has become an important aspect of tackling the health and environmental effects of vehicles”, he added.

Technologies of emission measurements are continuously being developed further, in step with the development of vehicle technology. “It is essential to make sure that the benefits obtained through technical innovation and progress are maintained throughout the whole life cycle of a vehicle”, said the DEKRA expert.

ITC participants, including UNECE Executive Director Olga Algayerova, were very interested in the demonstration of the latest technologies to measure emissions of vehicles.

DEKRA experts demonstrated equipment used both in type approval, i.e. before a vehicle is allowed to be sold, and later, when the vehicles are in use on the roads. Among the equipment were

• a Portable Emissions Measurement System (PEMS) used in type approval to measure emissions outside the laboratory on the road
• a derivative called Mini-PEMS intended to be used on vehicles already in use
• a roller test bench intended to measure oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in periodical technical inspection (PTI) of vehicles in use, and
• a device counting particulate matter emitted by the vehicle which can be used both in type approval and in PTI.

“Seeing these technologies and what they are able to do can help decision-makers in drawing up regulations for future emission checks on new vehicle models as wells as on the roads”, said Nicolas Bouvier. “As the world’s number one in vehicle inspections, we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute our expertise once again at this high-profile conference.”