100 Stories2020 Healthy Car

The COVID-19 pandemic took place in 2020. Sanitizing shared spaces and minimizing the risk of contracting the virus became major worldwide issues. To meet these demands in the automotive industry as well, the automobile marketing team at Asahi Kasei Europe (AKEU) and Asahi Kasei America (AKA) collaborated to create the Healthy Car concept.

They globally conducted a survey regarding the required car functions in December 2020. The aggregate findings of the survey showed that consumers were not only interested in the car’s appearance but also features that sanitize the inside of the car and disinfect the air. This is a very important aspect and one that will remain relevant even after the pandemic ends.

In the context of mobility, safety has long been defined from the perspective of maintaining the safety of passengers in the event of a collision. The transition to the era of automated driving will reduce the risk of accidents. As the definition of safety is changing from “safety from accidents” to “the safety of the surrounding environment during normal driving,” it has become important to maintain a healthy environment inside and outside the car.

The Healthy Car has various Asahi Kasei products implemented in it to offer safety.

Thermylene™ Performance Polypropylene Compounds from Asahi Kasei Plastics North America is a light-weight material used in the door panels and seats to act as an impact modifier and contribute to heat, weather, and scratch resistance while having low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

NEXX Essentials™ from Sage introduces safe and functional technology to the interior of cars and improves the mobility experience. It has antibacterial, VOC reduction, and odor-control effects. Moreover, it is equipped with a CO₂ sensor that measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the car. This can help reduce driving errors that occur due to lowered body functioning caused by high concentrations of CO₂.

In addition, this car is equipped with active UVC-LEDs to improve the air quality inside the car and a health monitoring system for the passengers called Voice Health Monitoring, offering the mobility form of the new era.

The Healthy Car was created through prompt and frequent global communication and cooperation to offer automotive OEMs a comprehensive solution that fits the new needs of the market. The Healthy Car packs in the features that are required in this new age of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and new forms of mobility. It will lead to development projects for implementing future car programs.

https://www.asahikasei-automotive-us.com/innovations/healthycar