By now we should all be accustomed to wearing a face mask whenever we leave the house. Honda has taken things a step further, however, by developing a similar accessory for vehicles.
The Kurumask, as it's called, is essentially a COVID-19 mask for your car. It is a thin cap made up of millions of thorn-like protrusions that covers the existing cabin filter. The barbs are so small, that when you run your finger across, they are soft to the touch.
Honda's car mask was developed alongside the Kitasato Research Center for Environmental Science utilizing a zinc-phosphate chemical treatment similarly used for rust prevention. The Kurumask is said to remove 99.8 percent of airborne coronavirus droplets in your car within 15 minutes. And it doesn't just combat COVID-19. The mask, which has a life expectancy of approximately 9,320 miles, also filters other viruses.
Honda fast-tracked production of the Kurumask due to the urgent nature of the pandemic. For now, the mask ($68) is only compatible with the N-Box, which is sold exclusively in Japan. However, it will soon be available for other vehicles.
