Oxfordshire bus fleet to be equipped with air quality sensors

Vehicles within fleet services from Oxfordshire County Council are to be fitted with air quality measuring sensors to give real-time data on both vehicle emissions and the local air quality along the route.

The project is being undertaken by air quality specialist EarthSense and connected vehicle company Tantalum to gain a better understanding of the impact of road traffic on air quality.

The data collected will be used to optimise traffic light control and coordination in order to manage and mitigate road congestion and pollution. The data will also feed into the County’s work with Oxford City Council as it prepares for its Zero Emission Zone.
 
In addition to the use by Oxfordshire, data from the EarthSense Zephyr sensors will also be used to help Tantalum, working alongside University College London (ICL), refine traffic emission models within the collaborative Air.Car project. Using the IoT and Smart City technology the Air.Car project will deliver the ability to drive a greater understanding of vehicle pollution, while enabling the reduction of environmental impact and vehicle operation costs. Solutions include a clean routing app for taxis as well as smart, fair and affordable enforcement schemes for local authorities such as Oxfordshire.