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NARSTO Workshop on Innovative Methods for Emission Inventory Development and Evaluation University of Texas, Austin October 14-17, 2003 |
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Identification of Excessive Emissions System Failure Rates in High-Mileage Fleet Vehicles Based on Networkcar´s Continuous On-Board Emissions Monitoring System
Matthew Banet, Ph.D., Director of Manufacturing and Intellectual Property,
Networkcar, a Reynolds and Reynolds Company
The paper, prepared by Networkcar with input from the California Air Resources Board (‘ARB´), will describe and verify a model and experimental program used to calculate emissions reductions using a wireless emissions-monitoring device (called the CAReader) on 1,000 taxicabs participating in ARB´s Clean Fleets program. The program will assess the impact of continuously monitoring the emissions systems of high-usage (typically over 50,000 miles per year) vehicles over a five-year period.
The commercially available emissions-monitoring device, currently also monitoring several thousand consumer-owned vehicles, dynamically measures and reports the status of the taxicabs´ emission systems to effectively control oxides of nitrogen (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO). The device collects emissions-related data from a host vehicle´s on-board diagnostic (OBD-II) system and transmits these data over a conventional wireless network to an Internet-based computer system. The computer system analyzes the data to perform a federally approved OBD-II Inspection and Maintenance (‘I/M´) emissions test, and posts the results on a secure web site (www.networkcar.com). Failing vehicles that would otherwise continue to drive in a heavily polluting condition are dynamically detected and reported. Without this monitoring, non-compliant taxicabs can drive unchecked while emitting excess NOx into the environment; these levels persist even though the vehicle appears to function properly. With the remote monitoring system installed, polluting vehicles are quickly identified and repaired to reduce the amount of excess pollutants.
This is the first time a cost-effective aftermarket product has been available for continuously monitoring the emissions of most 1996 and newer cars and light trucks.