Misfuelling – putting petrol into a diesel vehicle – is a surprisingly common mistake. According to the RAC, more than 50,000 of its members alone managed to fill up with the wrong fuel in 2007.

The consequences can be very expensive, so it’s no surprise that the automotive business has started trying to reduce the ease with which misfuelling can take place. One of the companies leading the way is DDN Ltd, the manufacturer of the Misfuelling Prevention Device.

DDN appeared on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den on the 4th August and were very successful; they secured an investment of £250,000 – the largest investment ever made on the program!

This just highlights the potential size and scale of the market for a product that prevents misfuelling. At a unit cost of around £50 for fleets, it’s a lot cheaper than having to call out a mechanic to drain a vehicle’s fuel system and refuel it – not to mention repairing the possible damage if the vehicle has been driven after misfuelling.

I originally wrote about DDN’s Misfuelling Prevention Device back in March. It claims to be idiot-proof to fit and to use and can be put in place in seconds. It’s already proving a big hit with fleet buyers and is now available to retail buyers from DDN’s rather spiffing new website.

It’s seems a great idea for owners of vehicles that typically have multiple drivers. Amongst obvious potential target buyers are car and van hire companies, families with multiple petrol and diesel vehicles, company fleets and the emergency services – who are already trialling the MPD.

I suspect that there will come a time, in a few years, when misfuelling prevention devices are factory-fitted to most new diesel vehicles. However, there are currently a huge number of unprotected diesel vehicles on the road and that number is continuing to grow day by day – so congratulations to DDN for seizing the moment and coming up with a great product.

To learn more about the DDN Misfuelling Prevention Device, click here to visit their website.

Click here to see DDN’s appearance in the Dragons’ Den again.

P.S. If anyone from DDN reads this, I would love to do an illustrated review of fitting and using the MPD with my 2001 Ford Transit – just drop me a line!