Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/USPTO drawing
Toyota developed a cabin system that bundles ultra-violet light to sanitize the entire interior after you arrive at the destination and step out of the vehicle.
Described in a patent intuitively called “ultra-violet light sanitizing of a vehicle,” such technology could play the role of a germicidal agent.
After 2020, everybody knows why this would come in handy. Ultra-violet light is being used for disinfection, as it can kill or inactivate various microorganisms. Toyota thinks such an approach makes sense for vehicle interiors as well, especially as we step into the car after previously touching contaminated surfaces or objects.
Additionally, Toyota’s idea would also make sense in vehicles used for ride-sharing services or taxis. Once a passenger arrives at the destination, the driver can take a break and let the vehicle sanitize the interior.
The Japanese firm says the system relies on an army of sensors whose first role is to determine when the vehicle door is open or closed. This way, the disinfection can be triggered right after you step outside the vehicle.
Toyota explains that sanitizing the vehicle can target either the whole interior or just a certain part. The latter is particularly aimed at taxis, and the driver would be allowed to control the area covered by the disinfection.
While it feels like 2020 all over again, Toyota’s idea could be further enhanced to be more effective and meet the needs of drivers. The company says that the predetermined time period when the sanitizing runs can be configured by a user or directly by the car manufacturer. This means the vehicle would ship with a predefined time, but drivers would be allowed to adjust the settings.
The carmaker has also envisioned more advanced controls. When the process is running and someone opens the vehicle door, sanitizing is automatically suspended. The ultra-violet light sources can be installed in the roof in the proximity of the interior lights. A second module would be fitted in the back specifically to cover as much of the cabin as possible.
The lights can also be installed in the door panels. This way, the system would provide more efficient sanitizing of the doors themselves, as these are the areas that people touch when stepping in and out of the car.
Toyota filed the patent back in June 2020, at a time when the fight against germs was the world’s number one priority. While the planet is slowly leaving the global health crisis behind, Toyota’s systems could still prove useful, not only to deal with a pandemic, but also to keep the interior of a car germ-free.
For now, the system continues to be in the patent stage, so there is no guarantee it would ever make its way to mass production.
After 2020, everybody knows why this would come in handy. Ultra-violet light is being used for disinfection, as it can kill or inactivate various microorganisms. Toyota thinks such an approach makes sense for vehicle interiors as well, especially as we step into the car after previously touching contaminated surfaces or objects.
Additionally, Toyota’s idea would also make sense in vehicles used for ride-sharing services or taxis. Once a passenger arrives at the destination, the driver can take a break and let the vehicle sanitize the interior.
The Japanese firm says the system relies on an army of sensors whose first role is to determine when the vehicle door is open or closed. This way, the disinfection can be triggered right after you step outside the vehicle.
Toyota explains that sanitizing the vehicle can target either the whole interior or just a certain part. The latter is particularly aimed at taxis, and the driver would be allowed to control the area covered by the disinfection.
While it feels like 2020 all over again, Toyota’s idea could be further enhanced to be more effective and meet the needs of drivers. The company says that the predetermined time period when the sanitizing runs can be configured by a user or directly by the car manufacturer. This means the vehicle would ship with a predefined time, but drivers would be allowed to adjust the settings.
The carmaker has also envisioned more advanced controls. When the process is running and someone opens the vehicle door, sanitizing is automatically suspended. The ultra-violet light sources can be installed in the roof in the proximity of the interior lights. A second module would be fitted in the back specifically to cover as much of the cabin as possible.
The lights can also be installed in the door panels. This way, the system would provide more efficient sanitizing of the doors themselves, as these are the areas that people touch when stepping in and out of the car.
Toyota filed the patent back in June 2020, at a time when the fight against germs was the world’s number one priority. While the planet is slowly leaving the global health crisis behind, Toyota’s systems could still prove useful, not only to deal with a pandemic, but also to keep the interior of a car germ-free.
For now, the system continues to be in the patent stage, so there is no guarantee it would ever make its way to mass production.
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