Download
Hyundai
Motor, Kia unveil world’s 1st in-car UV sanitizer
By Jhoo Dong-chan, The Korea Times - Hyundai
Motor and affiliate Kia said Thursday they have developed what they describe as
the world's first ultraviolet (UV) sanitization system capable of disinfecting
vehicle interiors while passengers are on board.
The technology, called Plasma Care UVC,
uses Far-UVC light — a shortwave UV wavelength in the 200–230 nanometer range —
generated through a plasma lamp rather than the LED sources used in
conventional UV sanitizers.
Existing UV sterilization systems rely
on wavelengths that can harm human skin and eyes, limiting their use to
enclosed, unoccupied spaces. Far-UVC light, by contrast, cannot penetrate
beyond the outermost layer of human skin but can reach the cellular DNA of
bacteria and viruses, destroying them.
The system also reduces odors by
eliminating odor-causing microbes as part of the sanitization process.
To adapt the technology for automotive
use, Hyundai and Kia said they miniaturized the lamp and control system to fit
inside a vehicle, reinforced it against vibration and temperature fluctuations
and added an optical filter that blocks all wavelengths outside the Far-UVC
range.
Performance tests were conducted with
accredited institutions.
Testing at the Korea Testing Laboratory
in a chamber simulating a vehicle interior showed airborne virus levels fell
96.8 percent after 30 minutes of operation.
A separate study with Seoul National
University found that pneumococcal bacteria were completely eliminated after 60
seconds of exposure. Testing in real vehicles using the Kia PV5 at the Korea
Automobile Testing and Research Institute confirmed 99.9 percent elimination of
E. coli within 40 minutes.
"This technology goes beyond
sanitizing enclosed spaces and can be used safely in open cabin environments
with passengers present," said a Hyundai Motor Group official.
The companies said they plan to evaluate
the technology for integration into production following further verification.
