Ford Develops New Technology That Kills Coronavirus in Cars in 15 Mins
New Ford heated software enhancement is designed for American police cars that heat cabin to 53 degree Celsius for 15 mins that kills Coronavirus
Coronavirus Pandemic has hit the automotive industry globally, with manufacturing units and dealerships closed to around 2 months. This leads to job loses, lowering demand for cars and shutting of dealerships. Automakers are also working on multiple technologies to keep their cars safe. In fact, car brands globally as well as in India has started producing ventilators and PPE kits to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
Ford Motor Company has designed a new heated software enhancement to defeat the virus. This system is designed for American police cars that heat the cabin to 53 degree Celsius for 15 minutes. Ford claims that the time and temperature it takes reduce the viral concentration inside the vehicle by greater than 99 percent. This smart vehicle technology is available immediately on all 2013-19 Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles in the United States, Canada and other countries around the world.
Ford said that the solution is simple, just bake the vehicle’s interior until viruses inside are inactivated. Using Police Interceptor Utility’s own engine and climate control systems, this software solution enables vehicles to increase interior temperatures beyond 133 degrees Fahrenheit1 (53 degree Celsius) for 15 minutes – long enough to help disinfect vehicle touchpoints.
Once activated, the software warms up the engine to an elevated level, and both heat and fan settings operate on high. The software automatically monitors interior temperatures until the entire cabin hits the optimal level, then that temperature is maintained for 15 minutes. To research the effectiveness of this sanitization method, Ford worked closely with The Ohio State University to determine the temperature and time duration needed to help inactivate the COVID-19 virus.
To research the effectiveness of this sanitization method, Ford worked closely with The Ohio State University to determine the temperature and time duration needed to help inactivate the COVID-19 virus. To monitor progress hazard lights and taillights will flash in a pre-set pattern to notify when the process has begun, then will change at the end to signal completion. The vehicle’s instrument cluster will also indicate progress. A cool-down process brings the temperature down from its highest points.
This heated process can be used by law enforcement regularly to help sanitize vehicles when officers are not inside. When used in conjunction with sanitization guidelines approved by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flooding the passenger compartment with elevated air temperature can help reach areas that may be missed by manual disinfecting procedures. Heat has the ability to seep into crevices and hard-to-reach areas, helping reduce the impact of human error in applying chemical disinfectants.
