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Car sick no more

Volvo makes very safe cars. They also make them extremely clean

ITCH GUARD Volvo's clean interiors are designed to prevent allergies.

Think `Volvo,' and your mind goes back to those comfortable bus journeys to Bangalore and Goa. But did you know this Swedish company makes cars that spell safety with a capital `S'? Incidentally, they were one of the first car-makers to incorporate seatbelts, crumple zones and air-bags in their cars.

Now, Volvo's taking air-conditioning and climate control to a new level with the `Clean Inside and Out' concept. You see, when you combine hot summer temperature with pollen dust, chemicals and pollutants, your car journey could be a bit more than just uncomfortable.

Also, the `Clean Inside and Out' concept, provides Electronic Climate Control with an effective 'Air Quality System' and pollen filter, plus interiors that comply to the international 'Oeko-Tex' ecological certification to create an allergy-free interior - ideal for sufferers of asthma, hay fever or contact allergies such as eczema. This means every Volvo will offer interior trim components that go through extensive testing of all materials, such as seatbelts, carpets, dashboard, glues and fabrics for dyes, pesticides and metals, to detect any chemicals that trigger allergies, even under extreme temperatures.

Even the leather upholstery goes through chromium-free tanning, thanks to the use of natural plant substances. Hexavalent chromium, which together with nickel in buttons and other controls switches, can also cause contact allergies. Consequently, other details, such as the handbrake button and steering wheel emblem, will all be tested for contact allergies.

To keep air in the cabin free from pollen and dust, in addition to the standard Electronic Climate Control and pollen filter, the system features an Interior Air Quality System (IAQS) that uses electronic sensors. These will monitor the amount of pollutants in the incoming air and automatically close the air inlets when levels rise too high - for instance, when driving in busy city traffic, in traffic hold-ups or while passing through tunnels. A combined filter with active carbon eliminates odour surges and lowers the levels of nitrogen dioxides, ground-level ozone and hydro- carbons.

Adding up to this arsenal is the PremAir technology which automatically cleans the air passing through the radiator to convert up to 75 per cent of ground-level ozone, created by mixing nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and sunshine, into pure oxygen. It's time to take a deep, fresh breath then. What say?

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