BY introducing a larger, more efficient multi-filter in the cabin, Volvo is continuing to clean up air quality with its CleanZone initiative.

Volvo says CleanZone is its unique approach to controlling interior air quality and providing a better driving environment through innovative solutions for enhanced wellbeing and health.

Drivers can breathe easier because most microscopic, hazardous “fine dust” particles will now be prevented from entering the car.

The multi-filter was designed especially for the SPA platform (Volvo-speak for its large car platform) and will first appear in the all-new XC90.

It features a larger design that intercepts more particulates and pollen, as well as a layer of active charcoal that effectively removes a host of contaminants that can impact the health of drivers.

The results are impressive reckon Volvo.

In a car equipped with the new improved multi-filter, the amount of “fine dust” particles smaller than 0,4 μm can be as much as 70% less than in a car without the filter, according to a standardized component test. This is a significant improvement as studies have shown that dust particles smaller than 10 µm can cause a number of health problems, including difficulty breathing and lung infections.

“Up to 45 per cent of the industrialised world’s population is now suffering from some form of allergy or hypersensitivity. Over ten per cent has asthma. At Volvo, our commitment to safety goes well beyond safety belts and air bags. It’s about making sure that every minute you and your family spend in a Volvo is as safe as it can possibly be. That includes breathing,” says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development. “With this filter we are now at the forefront of the industry in terms of particle separation.”

The filter is one element of Volvo’s state-of-the-art Interior Air Quality System (IAQS). Another element is a sensor that monitors the incoming air for noxious substances. If the level of harmful substances becomes too high (such as when driving through a tunnel), the car’s air intakes will automatically close. Together, the multi-filter and sensor keep out a number of harmful and irritating pollutants, including:

• Nitrogen oxides
• Hydrocarbons
• Ground-level ozone
• Gases and unpleasant odours
• The CleanZone approach

So if you want to breathe easy, head for Volvo – and leave those tissues behind. And those sneezes.