A regular-looking car that checks other vehicles

TRUE Initiative has made significant strides in the field of emission studies. A few years back, their research quantified the severity of pollutant emissions from diesel car exhaust pipes. This time, the organization is stepping up to a whole new level.

They are road-testing a unique SUV in Slovakia, equipped with advanced emission measuring devices. The bumper of the vehicle contains an air suction pipe that collects air samples and sends them to the back of the car. The trunk houses analyzers that examine these samples. According to images from the TRUE Initiative's website, these devices can identify the levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, as well as particulate matter and soot.

In essence, this vehicle can measure the actual exhaust emission while tailing another car. The instrument may identify cars that have had their particulate filter removed, or ones using a SCR system emulator to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Moreover, the tool enables realistic emissions measurement for research purposes.

This novel method stands out from the previous ones primarily because the research tool is mobile. Before this, TRUE Initiative relied on modern but stationary tools. These include devices with a transmitter and a receiver placed on either side of the road. A laser would help identify real emissions from passing cars' exhaust gases, and license plate reading cameras assisted in assigning emissions to a specific Euro standard and fuel type.

Through its operations in Slovakia, TRUE Initiative aims to gather emission data from at least a thousand vehicles. They do not keep secret that in the future, the developed solutions may be adopted by the police or agencies responsible for inspecting the technical conditions of vehicles. The new mobile laboratories could also be employed to enforce regulations among drivers. This scenario could apply to clean transport zones, where only vehicles meeting specific exhaust emission standards are allowed.

In these zones, which are plentiful across Europe, vehicle owners can travel freely provided their vehicles meet the zone's regulations. However, some vehicles that formally comply may not meet the standards they claim due to the removal of exhaust cleaning components. Only time will tell if the technology developed by TRUE Initiative will become commonplace on the roads. If it does, it will serve as an effective tool against those attempting to cheat the system.