Valeo’s Covid-19-protective shield for buses wins VDA innovation award

The Valeo UV Purifier, a system that uses UV rays to purify the air in buses and coaches, has been named as the year’s top innovation by the VDA, the German association of automotive manufacturers and leading automotive suppliers.

This Valeo technology is currently the world’s most powerful air sterilization system for bus and coach cabins. It eliminates more than 95% of viruses, including Covid-19, as well as any bacteria or mould present in the air within vehicles travelling with passengers on board.

Its effectiveness against SARS‑CoV‑2 has been scientifically proven by the Frankfurt University Hospital and the Institute for Laser Technologies in Medicine and Metrology at the University of Ulm (ILM).

The tests carried out by the ILM confirmed that Valeo’s UV purifier has the ability to eliminate viruses with 95% efficiency in a single airflow cycle. The tests also show that the air change rate is very efficient – higher than the level recommended by the World Health Organization to limit the risk of infection by the spread of airborne viruses and bacteria.

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How it works
Upon activation, the system, first revealed in September 2020, eliminates, in a single airflow cycle, more than 95% of viruses, including Covid-19, as well as any bacteria or mould present in the air circulating in the cabin. Irrespective of the source of infection, whether inside or outside the vehicle, the Valeo-designed modules are effective throughout the vehicle’s journey with passengers onboard.

The Valeo devices are available as a standalone solution box or they can be directly integrated into the vehicle’s air conditioning systems. They use ultraviolet light technology, similar to that used in medical and hospital facilities. The UV rays work as both a bactericide and a germicide and can kill microbes such as viruses and pathogens. The rays stop these microbes from spreading and can be used as an alternative to other disinfection methods, avoiding the use of chemical products.

Valeo has created a unique solution integrating a UV light provided by one of the leading global experts in the technology, and a ‘light labyrinth’, which blocks the UV rays from spreading outside of the metal box, ensuring that passengers are never exposed to them. Only the air circulating in the ventilation box is purified by the light.

The Valeo solution has recently been integrated as original equipment in vehicles manufactured by a Brazilian bus maker. It is designed to be compatible with buses and coaches of all types and sizes, air‑conditioned or not, and to withstand all weather conditions. Valeo now plans to bring these systems to markets in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Valeo says its air purifiers will also be offered to operators of vehicles already on the road, as they can be adapted to existing ventilation systems or retrofitted to non-air-conditioned vehicles.

Valeo is also working to roll out this technology to passenger vehicles.