Marelli's COVID-killing HVAC Insert

With big implications for shared mobility, a new photocatalytic cabin-air purifier claims to kill viruses - including COVID-19.

Marelli North America is offering a solution to the problem of interior air quality in shared-use/autonomous vehicles. The upgraded HVAC setup purifies passenger car cabin air, including the destruction of COVID-19 virus, the system's developers claim. The photocatalytic HVAC shows rapid, >99% performance using a titanium-dioxide-impregnated filter and dual UV lighting to clear cabin air of COVID-19 within a 1.0 m³ (35 ft³) chamber in 15 minutes.

The system also kills other viruses and eliminates HVAC odor, according to the company. Offered for taxis, ambulances and other shared-use vehicles, including autonomated-driving models, the system also has retrofit potential.