Air View Car

Cities typically map air quality using a limited number of measurement points, but air quality and levels of air pollution can vary from street to street and from day to day. With our measuring cars, we have been mapping air quality in European cities since 2019.

Over the past five years, we have mapped air quality in 10 European cities. Using modern laboratory-quality measuring equipment, we measure pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, soot, particulate matter and ultrafine particles while driving. These measurements are done every second for six to eight hours a day.

There are no European regulations for these particles yet, but we suspect that they can seriously harm public health.

How pollutants spread

By measuring mobile data, we can create detailed maps of air quality and show on a large scale how harmful particles are spread locally. It is important to know. We already know a lot about particulate matter and black soot, but we know much less about the very small particles, ultrafine dust. There are no European regulations for these particles yet, but we suspect that they can seriously harm public health.

Healthy walking or biking routes

In recent years, we made use of our maps with together with several partners. For example, Copenhagen and the renowned architectural firm Gehl have been working on future neighborhoods with so-called “Thrive Zones.” These zones are designed to protect certain areas of the city, such as schools and playgrounds, from high levels of pollution and give young children access to cleaner air. Residents can also consult public maps to map out a healthy walking or biking route.