What could go wrong? Kia/Hyundai introduce UV light sterilization w passengers in car

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Hyundai and Kia Want To Bathe Your Car’s Interior in UV Light — With You Inside
The Korean automakers supersized the same tech that cleans phones and toothbrushes to clean entire vehicle cabins.

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The concept is called Plasma Care UVC, and in a press release Hyundai and Kia claim it’s the first of its kind. It uses far-ultraviolet C (far UVC) light in the 200-230 nanometer wavelength range. That specific wavelength provides enough energy to kill bacteria and viruses, but not enough to penetrate beyond the protective outer keratin layer of human skin, the automakers claim, making it safe for use in occupied vehicles. It’s at the lower range of wavelengths used by conventional UV sterilizers, but less powerful than UV emitters used to treat skin diseases or for industrial applications.

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Far-UVC tech has already been proposed for use in hospitals and schools, the release adds, but some modifications were needed to work in cars. The more confined space, closer proximity of occupants to UV emitters, and the plethora of electronics in a vehicle’s interior all presented issues, according to the automakers. Components were shrunk to fit, and put through the same durability testing as anything else that goes into a car interior. A plasma lamp was used because it’s better at reaching the 200-230 nanometer wavelength than the typically-used LEDs, and a filter was applied to provide an extra level of safety.

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Engineers tested the hardware in a roughly 282-cubic-foot chamber designed to simulate a car interior, claiming a 96.8% reduction in airborne viruses within 30 minutes. In a more conventional lab environment, the same hardware eliminated 99.9% of pneumonia-causing bacteria after 30 seconds, and completely eliminated the bacteria after 60 seconds. In a third test using a Kia PV5 , the UV treatment killed 99.9% of E.coli in the electric van’s cabin after 40 minutes of use.

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