If you’re venturing outside during a pandemic, going grocery shopping or running errands, it’s best to take precautions. Wear a mask. Practice social distancing. Use hand sanitizer or wash your hands. Avoid touching your face. But what if you car could help protect you as well? Sound far-fetched? Well it may soon be possible by heating itself up to a level high enough to kill any coronavirus particles that you may have dragged onto its surfaces.
The neat trick comes to us courtesy of Ford and a design originally intended for use on police SUVs. But we can ignore that part and just focus on the technology, which can allegedly be retrofitted into other car models.
Explains Popular Mechanics:
“Amid the nationwide protests against police brutality in the U.S., the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic doesn’t sleep; any interactions between police and citizens could potentially lead to virus exposure and spread. But that begs a serious question: If a protester is detained in a police vehicle that may or may not have traces of the virus, how can authorities ensure that person’s right to safety?
A software development from Ford may be part of the answer. The auto manufacturer has introduced a new heat tool for its 2013 to 2019 models of Police Interceptor Utility hybrid SUVs.
It’s basically a software patch that activates the vehicle’s powertrain and climate control systems to temporarily heat up the cabin to a temperature in excess of 133 degrees Fahrenheit to eliminate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Heat and fan settings operate on high throughout this process, while the software monitors the inside temperature.”
Sounds good! But what if someone is inside the car when it gets heated up?! This sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. Thankfully, there would be several safeguards put in place such as unique lighting patterns that would indicate that the process is underway. And more importantly it won’t start if people are already in the car.
Heating up a car’s interior to kill the coronavirus isn’t as cool as an actual car like Kitt from Night Rider going around in dramatic fashion to save the day but it’s still pretty cool. Another tool at our disposal in the on-going fight against COVID-19.
Is a car that heats itself up to kill the coronavirus the Greatest Idea Ever?
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