Metis Engineering’s Air Wise: Next-Generation HVAC Sensor for Precision Environmental Monitoring

In the pursuit of safer, smarter, and more comfortable vehicle interiors, environmental monitoring is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Enter Air Wise: a next-generation CAN-based air quality monitoring HVAC sensor designed in the UK to deliver comprehensive, real-time environmental data for modern mobility and industrial installation applications.

Compact, powerful, and highly configurable, Air Wise is designed to integrate seamlessly into HVAC systems via its automotive-rated 5-pin Molex Nano-Fit Power connector. With support for configurable CAN bus speeds and addressing, and a supplied CAN DBC file, it is compatible with a wide range of platforms, from passenger and commercial vehicles to off-highway machinery and autonomous pods, compressed air equipment, compressors and dryers across any number of industries and applications.

A Comprehensive Environmental Sensing Solution

Air Wise captures a broad array of environmental parameters to support smart cabin control, occupant health monitoring, advanced battery management systems and system diagnostics. It’s key capabilities include:

• Absolute pressure and air temperature, offering foundational data for HVAC regulation and altitude compensation

• Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) detection, critical for identifying external pollutants or cabin air quality degradation

• Absolute air water content, relative humidity, and dew point temperature, enabling predictive HVAC adjustments to avoid condensation and improve comfort

• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) detection (optional), allowing vehicle systems to automatically adjust ventilation levels based on occupancy and air quality
• Shock load and duration up to ±24G (optional), which can be used to monitor structural or mechanical events that affect HVAC components, compressors or vehicle integrity

These combined metrics allow Air Wise to support advanced use cases such as air quality-based climate control, predictive maintenance, and automated safety responses in both conventional and electrified vehicles.

Intelligent and Energy-Efficient Operation

Designed with power efficiency in mind, Air Wise features a low power monitoring mode where the sensor passively collects environmental data but refrains from transmitting on the CAN bus unless a predefined threshold is crossed. At that point, it automatically switches to active mode, ensuring minimal energy consumption while maintaining situational awareness.

For automated system responses, the sensor also includes a low side drive function pin rated up to 500mA. This can be triggered when an environmental threshold, such as VOC concentration or temperature spike, is exceeded. The result is a sensor that not only observes, but can also actuate a response, such as activating a ventilation fan or sending alerts to a compressor or vehicle’s control system.

Automotive-Grade Reliability

As a company, Metis Engineering has ensured Air Wise meets the rigorous demands of vehicle integration. The sensor has been tested to leading automotive standards, including:

• ISO 7637-2:2011 for electrical disturbances from conduction and coupling

• ISO 16750-2:2012 for environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment

• ISO 16750-4:2010 for climatic loads

This makes Air Wise a robust and reliable solution, suitable for use in both interior and under-hood environments.

Elevating Environmental Intelligence

With air quality establishing increased attention in transport, construction, agriculture, and industrial settings, our Air Wise sensor plays a vital role in supporting global climate goals by delivering to customers the next level of environmental insight, empowering smarter, safer, and more responsive systems.