Cutting out the car allergies

By Paul Hudson

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- As Q said to James Bond in many a movie: "Pay attention, 007." And that was before the super-agent went anywhere near his silver Aston Martin DB5.

The risks of being distracted or failing to react quickly enough on the road are well documented and, indeed, anathema to responsible drivers.

Prescription drugs are appropriately labeled -- when the packaging warns of not driving or operating heavy machinery, it does so with good reason.

Yet with the recent spate of hot weather across Europe, thoughts again turn to the effects of irritants in the atmosphere, not least upon those who suffer from hay fever or respiratory ailments.

New research supports the belief that many thousands of drivers could be putting themselves and other motorists at risk by driving under the influence of hay fever and allergy medication.

It found that one in seven drivers suffer from hay fever or other allergies, and almost half (45 per cent) of these have driven on public roads while taking medication.

There is obviously a problem, since nearly a fifth (18 per cent) admitted that their driving had been negatively affected as a result during the past 12 months.

One in ten respondents in the survey, carried out on behalf of motor insurer Privilege, lost concentration at the wheel due to an impaired reaction caused by illness or medication. That's equivalent to 3.3 million drivers in the UK, where the research was conducted.

Despite the side effects, such as drowsiness, that everyday medicines including hay fever remedies can have, a quarter of drivers admitted to rarely or never checking the side effects of their remedies before setting off.

Just under a quarter believed there was nothing wrong with driving while taking any hay fever or allergy medication.

However, eight in ten drivers said they would amend their behavior if they discovered a hay fever medicine they were about to take might affect their performance at the wheel, with a third (36 per cent) holding off taking the medicine until after having driven, and a quarter (24 per cent) not driving at all.

General practitioner (GP) Doctor James Lawrie commented: "Certain types of drugs or even herbal supplements can affect a person's ability to drive safely. If they are combining several over-the-counter drugs for the treatment of the same ailment, they could be very dangerous on the road."

"It's important drivers always read the label of any medication they plan to take -- either prescribed by a doctor or purchased at a chemist [drug store] -- and discuss possible side effects with their pharmacist."

Possible side effects that may occur as a result of taking medication include feeling tired or lethargic, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and an inability to maintain attention span.

Medicines taken for the following ailments may affect driving ability: hay fever and allergies; coughs and colds; high blood pressure and heart conditions; depression and anxiety; arthritis; diabetes; epilepsy; sleep problems; travel sickness.

The majority of new cars are fitted with filters that prevent the influx of pollens and other irritants, but there are some smells that these can't tackle.

Many of the materials used in car interiors can affect allergy sufferers. The plastics are often blamed, particularly in hot weather, but just as culpable are seats that harbor dust and spores.

Swedish manufacturer Volvo has long put more effort than most into the contents of its car interiors.

It was the first to have a dedicated team working to eliminate nasty odors. Its 'nose team' consists of eight expert sniffers who are responsible for smell-testing every component in a Volvo interior.

Components are put into ovens and warmed to different temperatures to simulate the typical changes in cabin climate -- this is as relevant in warm cars during winter as it is for cars that have been standing in the summer sun.

Every member of the 'nose team' inhales and gives each component a score between one and six, where 'one' is unnoticeable and 'six' is overpowering. Nothing that scores more than 'three' will be approved for production.

The materials used in Volvo car interiors also meet the requirements of the international Oeko-Tex 100 standard, which means they are also tested for allergenic dyes, pesticides and heavy metals to detect chemicals that trigger allergies, even under extreme temperatures.

Each of the 'nose team' is subjected to a careful selection process to ensure that they all have a 'normal' sense of smell and do not differ appreciably from each other in this respect.

"People who like an odor that others in the panel think is unpleasant are eliminated," explains Lotta Styrenius, a Volvo concept engineer responsible for smells, "likewise those who either cannot detect or are hypersensitive to smells."

"All must be non-smokers, since smoking can affect the sense of smell... We impose strict demands both on ourselves and our suppliers," adds Styrenius.

"Traveling in a car should be a pleasant experience for the nose as well."

Revolutionary interior materials, rather than high-tech engines or show-stopping styling, is one of the keys to one of the latest concept cars from Japanese company Mazda.

For its Hakaze, Mazda, in conjunction with design and prototyping consultancy Flotek, produced a new material with a natural, grainy feel to convey the needs of the outdoor adventure-seekers the vehicle was aimed at.

With Flotek, technology, a variety of textures can be created on one surface. Mazda went for patterned surfaces reminiscent of sand dunes.

The Hakaze's floor is covered in leather, embossed with a flow pattern of different textures that feel natural to the touch.

The dashboard has a special grain that feels sandy in some places and has line texture in others, helping to create flowing forms by making them not only look natural, but feel natural as well.

The importance of touch is touch experience also extends to the seats, which are made of smooth, high-tech leather with a surface coating to make them feel similar to the Neoprene used in wetsuits.

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