Hyundai Motor, Kia unveil in-cabin UVC sterilization tech safe for passengers

World's first plasma-based Far-UVC system

Uses light wavelengths safe for the human body

A graphic showing how Plasma Care UVC operates. [Hyundai Motor Co/Kia provided]

Hyundai Motor Co and Kia on Thursday unveiled "Plasma Care UVC," a new technology that can sterilize and deodorize a vehicle's interior in real time even while passengers are on board.

The system uses Far-UVC light in the 200–230 nanometer wavelength range to eliminate bacteria and viruses without harming the human body. Conventional UVC sterilization technology operates in the 255–280 nm range, which is highly effective at killing pathogens but can damage skin and eyes, limiting its use to enclosed spaces with no occupants.

Far-UVC, by contrast, carries enough energy to destroy the DNA of bacteria and viruses. Its low penetration depth means it reaches only the outermost layer of dead skin cells, making it safe for people nearby.

Hyundai Motor and Kia said the technology can sterilize the entire cabin in real time with passengers present, while also eliminating odor-causing bacteria and microorganisms to maintain a cleaner interior environment.

The companies also released a video Thursday explaining the technology and its potential applications. The video centered on a Kia PV5 fitted with a Plasma Care UVC prototype and highlighted possible uses across a range of purpose-built vehicle environments, including school shuttle buses and mobile fruit-vending vehicles.

Plasma Care UVC installed inside a Kia PV5. [Hyundai Motor Co/Kia provided]

Hyundai Motor and Kia developed and miniaturized the Far-UVC lamp and its control system in-house to suit automotive conditions, engineering the unit to withstand vibration and temperature fluctuations while driving. A specialized optical filter that passes only Far-UVC wavelengths while blocking all others was also incorporated to enhance safety.

Performance testing backed up the claims. Tests by the Korea Testing Laboratory showed the system reduced airborne viruses by 96.8 percent after 30 minutes of operation in an 8-cubic-meter chamber simulating a vehicle interior. Joint research with Seoul National University's Agricultural Life Science Startup Support Center found that pneumococcal bacteria were 99.9 percent eliminated after 30 seconds of exposure and completely eradicated after 60 seconds or more.

Evaluations carried out with the Korea Automotive Technology Institute inside an actual Kia PV5 confirmed that E. coli were 99.9 percent eliminated after 40 minutes of exposure at a distance of 700 millimeters.

"This technology goes beyond conventional sterilization, which was limited to enclosed spaces with no occupants, and was developed so it can be used safely in open cabin environments with passengers inside," said Jang Han-ju, a principal researcher on Hyundai Motor and Kia's MSV Interior Design Team 2. "We expect it to serve as an interior hygiene management solution that delivers a comfortable mobility experience across a range of future mobility environments, including autonomous driving and purpose-built vehicles."

Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to explore real-vehicle applications for Plasma Care UVC after conducting further validation and reviewing international safety standards.

eyre@heraldcorp.com