Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled a new in-vehicle sanitization technology designed to reduce bacteria, viruses and odour-causing microorganisms inside vehicle cabins, even while passengers are present.
The technology, called Plasma Care UVC, uses far-ultraviolet C (Far-UVC) light, a form of ultraviolet light that Hyundai and Kia report can neutralize bacteria and viruses while limiting exposure to vehicle occupants.
"Plasma Care UVC was developed for use in open vehicle cabin environments with passengers, moving beyond conventional sanitization methods that are limited to enclosed areas," said Han Joo Jang, senior research engineer, MPV & Small Sized Vehicle Interior Engineering Design Team 2 at Hyundai Motor and Kia.
According to the automakers, the system is the first application of Far-UVC technology designed for use in an occupied vehicle cabin. Hyundai and Kia indicate the technology could support future mobility applications, including autonomous vehicles and purpose-built vehicles, which are vehicles designed for specific commercial or transportation uses.
The companies report the system achieved a 96.8 percent reduction in airborne viruses during testing conducted in a simulated vehicle cabin environment. Additional testing found a 99.9% reduction in pneumonia-causing bacteria after 30 seconds of exposure and a 99.9% reduction in E. coli during a vehicle-based trial using a Kia PV5.
To demonstrate potential applications, Hyundai and Kia released a video showing the technology in a PV5 configured as a school shuttle and a mobile retail vehicle.
"We expect it to serve as a valuable cabin hygiene solution that delivers a more pleasant mobility experience across future mobility scenarios, including autonomous driving and purpose-built vehicles," added Jang.
Hyundai and Kia noted that Plasma Care UVC remains a research and development technology and is not currently available in production vehicles. Any future commercialization remains subject to further testing, validation and regulatory approvals.
