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Researchers Devenoxide Suicides; Study Results Available at SAE 2000 World Congress

10 January 2000

Researchers Devenoxide Suicides; Study Results Available at SAE 2000 World Congress

    WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 10 -- Feel like you need a nap every
time you get in the car?  You just may.  Poor air quality in vehicles -- a
subject of growing concern, but one that has received little attention --
often causes headaches, drowsiness, fatigue and impaired judgment.
    Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australian
Automobile Association and Royal Automobile Club of Victoria have developed a
vehicle air quality monitoring system that prevents unnecessary fatigue, as
well as accidental and suicidal carbon monoxide poisoning deaths.
    The team will present the results of their research in a paper at the SAE
2000 World Congress, being held at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan,
March 6-9, 2000.
    When poor cabin air conditions exist, such as low oxygen or high carbon
monoxide and dioxide levels, the system triggers an alarm to alert the
occupants to lower the windows or allow fresh air to enter the cabin via the
ventilation system.  If warnings are ignored, the system automatically
switches the ventilation system to fresh air.
    In the case of an attempted suicide, the monitor analyzes carbon monoxide
and oxygen concentration, and if necessary, shuts down the engine and lowers
electric windows.
    Commonly, vehicle ventilation systems are used in recycle mode to prevent
polluted air from entering the car.  However, this mode also prevents fresh
air from entering the cabin, resulting in a decrease of oxygen and increase of
carbon dioxide.
    The scientists tested the monitor under various driving conditions and
simulated suicide attempts.
    Further research into sensor packaging, placement, tampering prevention
and calibration drift, as well as algorithms for the alarm trigger, needs to
be conducted to bring the product to market.
    The researchers also plan to investigate a system to detect carcinogens in
the vehicle cabin, as well as the effect of number of vehicle occupants on
cabin air quality.
    The paper, "Vehicle Cabin Air Quality Monitor for Fatigue and Suicide
Prevention," will be presented at 1 p.m., Monday, March 6 during the SAE World
Congress & Exposition, Cobo Center (Room D3-19), Detroit, Michigan.
    SAE World Congress, the world's largest showcase of automotive engineering
technologies, runs March 6-9, 2000, attracting attendees from more than
80 countries.  To attend, visit http://www.sae.org or call 1-877-SAE-CONG (723-2664);
outside the U.S. and Canada, call 1-724-772-4027.