paragon ramps up series production of air quality sensors

In China, the government is stepping up efforts to prevent the population from being exposed to health risks caused by environmental pollution. The latest draft of the next Five-Year Plan (2016–2020) therefore contains specific targets for considerably reducing air pollution. As a result, the Chinese car industry is now a global driver of the rapid spread of resource-saving technologies. Alongside electromobility, technologies designed to improve air quality play a particularly significant role. Since the Chinese plant was opened in November 2015, the paragon site in Kunshan, near Shanghai, has been focusing on air quality management solutions for vehicle interiors to minimize passengers’ exposure to harmful substances. The technology used in the paragon air quality sensors is based on the fact that metal oxide sensors respond to harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) with a change in resistance. The resistance is then analyzed using an intelligent algorithm. The sensor can then activate the vehicle’s air circulation system and close the air vents if the quality of the outside air falls below a certain level. “We are delighted that more and more Chinese manufacturers are fitting their latest vehicle generations with our air quality sensors,” says Klaus Dieter Frers, founder and Chief Executive Officer of paragon AG. “This enables us to play a role in reducing the health risk to the Chinese population in all conceivable traffic scenarios, e.g. traffic jams.” “Apart from the popular premium sedan from Changan Automobile, the attractive SUV models from GAC Group and Geely represent ideal areas of application for our high quality standards in mass production,” adds Wolfgang Ketter, General Manager of paragon Automotive Kunshan Co., Ltd. Starting in the 2017 fiscal year, it is anticipated that paragon Automotive Kunshan Co., Ltd. will make a significant contribution to the consolidated revenue of paragon AG.