- Hyundai’s interior lights can completely eradicate pneumonia-causing bacteria.
- Far-UVC lights similar to these are used in hospitals and some school environments.
- Neither Hyundai nor Kia will say when the tech will reach a production model.
The Hyundai Motor Group has spent the past few years preoccupied with keeping its cars clean. Recent models like the Santa Fe and Palisade carry UV-C compartments that use ultraviolet light to kill germs on phones and other devices set inside them. The next step is bigger. The company wants ultraviolet light to wipe out the germs floating through the whole cabin in one fell swoop.
The company’s answer puts several far-ultraviolet C (Far-UVC) lights in the headliner, where they can kill viruses and bacteria within minutes. Unlike the UV-C lights used in the Sante Fe and Palisade, where direct human exposure can be harmful, the Far-UVC lights operate in the 200-230 nanometer range, meaning they can only act on the outer keratin layer of human skin and won’t penetrate any deeper. Crucially, the lights are strong enough to destroy the DNA of bacteria and viruses.
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The system, developed by Hyundai and Kia, is known as Plasma Care UVC. Lights like these are often used in hospitals, but to make them work in a vehicle, companies had to ensure they would still operate under intense vibrations, temperature changes, and harsh driving conditions, all while remaining small enough not to consume too much power.
During testing, the system was found to kill 96.8 percent of airborne viruses within 30 minutes. It’s particularly effective against pneumonia-causing bacteria, eradicating 99.9 percent in 30 seconds and 100 percent in 60 seconds. A separate test also showed it can kill 99.9 percent of E. coli in 40 minutes of exposure.
Coming To PBVs
Hyundai sees the technology paying off most in its purpose-built vehicles (PBVs), the Kia PV5 among them, along with school shuttles and trucks hauling fruit and other produce. It also breaks down the stubborn compounds behind bad smells, so the cabin should hold onto a fresh scent.
“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,” senior research engineer at Hyundai and Kia, Han Joo Jang, said. “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.”
Neither Hyundai nor Kia has said when they will first introduce the system into a production vehicle.
