Ford Uncovers Bacterial Hot Spots in Cars

Just the Facts:

• Ford deployed a team of researchers to swab down 10 locations in vehicle interiors and found "significant bacterial growth" in areas including the steering wheel and cupholders, the Dearborn automaker said on Friday in a new report.
• The area around cupholders was described as "an ideal feeding ground for microbes."
• Ford is testing coatings that could inhibit or reverse microbial growth in car interiors.

DEARBORN, Michigan ? Ford deployed a team of researchers to swab down 10 locations in vehicle interiors and found "significant bacterial growth" in areas including the steering wheel and cupholders, the Dearborn automaker said on Friday in a new report.

The area around cupholders was described as "an ideal feeding ground for microbes."

High concentrations of bacterial growth were found on steering wheels as well. Ford said it collected samples from a variety of company and employee-owned vehicles. The samples were analyzed at a University of Michigan laboratory.

"We weren't surprised to find microbial hot spots on the steering wheel, since that is where a driver's hands are most of the time," said Cindy Peters, a Ford technical expert, in a statement. "The console area near the cupholders is a common location for spilled drinks, so it provides an ideal feeding ground for microbes."

Ford is testing coatings that could inhibit or reverse microbial growth in car interiors. The automaker said parts coated with paint infused with a silver-ion additive may inhibit microbe growth in cars.

"Parts with the antimicrobial-treated coating are now undergoing real-world testing in a number of Ford development vehicles and the coating is being evaluated for potential use in future Ford vehicle programs," the automaker said.

Edmunds says: In the meantime, you might want to invest in some disinfecting wipes.

Source: http://www.insideline.com/ford/ford-uncovers-bacterial-hot-spots-in-cars.html

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