A mask for your vehicle, really? Yes. But no, we’re not talking about a cover for the front grille. But yes, that is essentially the role the new Kurumaku technology plays. But no, it's not there to protect your vehicle. Rather, it intends to protect the vehicle’s occupants from airborne viruses.

Whether it proves really useful or not remains to be seen, but with the new variant of the virus rapidly making its way around the world, and the possibility in the future of other forms of airborne viruses also making their appearance, Honda is betting this kind of system will be needed for some time to come.

The automaker’s new Kurumaku antiviral product is designed for placement on the cabin air filter, acting as a mask on the filter to prevent the spread of airborne viruses. Honda says the product catches virus droplets thanks to its special surface, reducing their shape and damaging them at the same time. The technology uses a chemical conversion treatment with zinc phosphate, which is also used to prevent rust on vehicles.

Unlike the CN95 filters used by other carmakers like Geely, which prevent the entry of viruses and other particles larger than 0.3 microns in size, Kurumaku destroys existing viruses in the passenger compartment, such as those you might have picked up on a trip to the grocery store.

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