Unless you have been literally living under a rock, there is no doubt you are well aware of the global pandemic and COVID-19. With global shutdowns, border closures and supply chain interruptions, thousands of industries have been impacted and businesses have been forced to adapt to the ever-changing landscape from sales and work flow processes to manufacturing methods and procedures. Unfortunately some businesses will close down and others will struggle to get back on their feet.
So what does this mean for the automotive industry. Well for many this spells disaster and others are going to innovate. For automotive manufacturers this will be a crucial point in their evolution to bring out new materials and features for vehicle interiors. We can already see this happening in Asia right now with the Chinese automaker Geely and their new Icon SUV. When they were confronted with the COVID-19 issue they approached it head on with a newly developed air-purification system that meets the N95 standard. You likely will recognize this designation from the masks you’re not supposed to be hoarding. This means the system filters at least 95 percent of 0.3 micron particles in lab testing. Of course you still have to open the car doors to get in and out and that opens you up to exposure from the elements however this is a step in the right direction and we are likely to see more of these technological advancements in the automotive industry as a way of sanitizing vehicle cabins.
Similarly in the automotive detailing industry we are going to see a lot more improvements with chemicals and equipment ready to tackle viruses, bacteria and more as well as a surge in customers wanting to get full decontamination services provided for their vehicles. This will possibly even become mandatory by law in some industries such as ride sharing where drivers are exposed to hundreds of people in a confined space each week.
At our shop, Auto World where we offer some of the finest detailing and tinting services in Ottawa, we have already seen an increase in the booking requests received for sanitization, steam cleaning, and anti-bacterial cleanings for cars, trucks and SUVs. Additionally, our dealer detailings have increased significantly with the need to properly and thoroughly clean vehicles prior to customer pickup and delivery since anyone acquiring their new vehicle wants to make sure that they have a factory reset and aren’t subjecting themselves to contaminates living on the materials and surfaces inside the cabin.
It will be interesting to see the improvements made as our automotive industry evolves to the new world and customer expectations that are heading our way. We are prepared and have taken steps to ensure safety and health at our Ottawa detailing facility long before it became mandatory. We pride ourselves on staying ahead of the pack and constantly improving our business to exceed the expectations of our customers.
If you are looking to have your vehicle detailed or fully sanitized, give us a call or book online to make a minimal-contact appointment for Ottawa detailing and cleaning with a fully shampoo, steam clean, ozone decontamination and salt removal. Get your vehicle ready for Spring as the lockdowns will be lifted soon and we can all go for a much needed camping trip or road trip!
Stay safe Ottawa