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While the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, many people hope that technology can plot a way forward. Medical treatments and a vaccine will, hopefully, someday put an end to the pandemic. Until then, however, many companies are hoping their technology will help keep people safe in the meantime. One such company is Ford.
Thanks to new technology in Ford-made police vehicles, officers have a new way to defend themselves from COVID-19. The coronavirus that causes the disease is particularly fragile, and is unable to survive hot temperatures.
If the virus is exposed to temperatures above 133 degrees, it becomes non-functional. Ford has enabled 2013 through 2019 Police Interceptor vehicles to heat to this temperature using a software update.
Police Interceptors are rather high-tech and complicated. Ford makes them with a number of bells and whistles that the average car simply doesn’t need. One example of such an option is the ability to update the vehicle’s software to adapt to new challenges.
Well, what is the COVID-19 pandemic if not a challenge? Since police officers often have people in their vehicles, it’s important they are able to disinfect them quickly. Whether someone is just receiving a ride from the local PD or is being arrested, they deserve to sit in a disease-free police car. That’s where Ford comes in.
Using a software update, Police Interceptors can now activate a disinfectant protocol. This allows the vehicle to heat up to beyond 133 degrees for fifteen minutes. Many epidemiologists agree that this is likely sufficient to eliminate most coronaviruses.
COVID-19 presents a host of unique challenges to modern life. However, it’s through overcoming challenges that some of the most noteworthy breakthroughs are implemented. Many proposed solutions to getting out of the weeds of the pandemic will be through technological progress.
For instance, some reopening plans note that large gatherings could be acceptable if widespread fast-testing was available. A football stadium could allow in large crowds if each person entering the building was tested for COVID-19 in advance. However, this would require a significant number of tests and high-tech equipment.
Another proposed method to expedite a return to normal is through robust contact tracing. Some tech companies have noted that most people carry cellphones, making it easy to track who they have been in close contact with. This could allow researchers to track the spread of the virus, intercepting it before major outbreaks could form.
