Future JLR products could help prevent ‘superbugs’ spreading
Jaguar Land Rover exploring technology that could prevent bacteria and viruses surviving in the cabin of its cars which could reduce the spread of il
Cars of the future could be aiding in the fight against ‘superbugs’ — if a technology Jaguar Land Rover is exploring finds widespread use.
The British firm is looking at deploying ultraviolet light technology — known as UV-C — in cabins of upcoming models. UV-C is common in the medical industry and is used to disinfect water, filter air and sterilise surfaces to stop the spread of harmful viruses and bacteria.
Jaguar Land Rover believes UV-C usage in cars would have a similar effect and would be utilised as part of the air conditioning system. Air taken in would be exposed to the ultraviolet tech, eliminating harmful pathogens and delivering ‘clean’ air to occupants. JLR even goes as far to say the it could help eliminate ‘superbugs’ — a term used to describe bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
Dr Steve Iley, chief medical officer at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “The average motorist spends as much as 300 hours per year behind the wheel. There is a clear opportunity to better utilise cars for administering preventative healthcare.”
“The implementation of individual wellbeing measures as part of our ‘tranquil sanctuary’ research promises to not only improve quality of life for our customers but in this case, offers clear advantages in reducing pathogen spread – protecting the overall population from the threat of disease; particularly as we move towards shared mobility solutions.”
