WORLDWIDE ON-ROAD VEHICLE EXHAUST EMISSIONS STUDY BY REMOTE-SENSING

The remote sensing technology developed by the University of Denver pr ovides the first practical approach to routinely characterize real-wor ld, on-road automobile CO and HC exhaust emissions. It has been used t o measure the exhaust emissions of more than 1 000 000 vehicles in man y locations, This study presents an analysis and comparison of 22 flee t profiles collected by the remote sensor in different regions around the world. Three patterns of emissions distributions and contributions of the fleets are revealed by a hierarchial cluster analysis. The imp ortance of vehicle maintenance on average CO and He emissions is revea led by a quintile analysis. Good maintenance practices in Gothenburg, Sweden, contrast with other locations such as Los Angeles, CA, and Mel bourne, Australia. The absolute emissions differences between well- an d badly maintained vehicles of any age are considerably larger than ob servable effects of emission control technology and vehicle age.