Design and Construction of Prototype Vehicle Gas Detector Based on Arduino Uno

Abstract

Motor vehicle exhaust emissions, especially carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC), are a major contributor to air pollution in areas with heavy traffic. Excess emissions can harm human health and damage the environment. Unfortunately, vehicle emission monitoring is still limited and simple devices that can be used directly by the public are not yet available. This study aims to design and build a prototype of a motor vehicle exhaust emission detection device based on Arduino Uno that is able to detect CO and HC levels in real time, provide a warning if the gas levels exceed the threshold, and display the detection results on an LCD screen. The study used a device engineering experiment (prototype) approach. The system was built with the main components of Arduino Uno as a controller, an MQ-7 sensor to detect CO gas, an MQ-135 sensor to detect HC gas, a 20x4 LCD to display the measurement results, and a buzzer as an alarm. If the gas concentration exceeds the predetermined threshold (CO > 3% and HC > 1000 ppm), the buzzer will sound as a warning and display the status "unsafe". Testing was carried out by exposing the device to two-wheeled vehicle exhaust gas to determine the accuracy and speed of the system's response. Test results indicate that the device can be applied to two-wheeled vehicles. The system provides fast and accurate warnings and is easy to use. With its simple, portable design and relatively low manufacturing cost, this device is expected to be an effective solution for monitoring exhaust emissions. It serves as a simple monitoring device that is useful for reducing the impact of vehicle emissions and as an effort to control air pollution.