Coronavirus: How the motoring industry has been helping
The COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the world, but automotive companies have joined in the fight against the disease in many innovative ways.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect almost every part of the world’s day-to-day workings. And with many industries having to push the pause button on operations, it has seen a number of car manufacturers pivot towards the production of essential equipment to use in the fight against the disease.
Here, we look at just some of the key companies who have turned their attention to battling against COVID-19.
Jaguar Land Rover
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Jaguar Land Rover has pledged 312 of its vehicles worldwide, where they’re being used by many groups – including the Red Cross – to help assist those people who need help the most urgently.
Some 164 of these cars are in use within the UK, with 14 in particular being used by the West Midlands NHS ambulance service to test staff who are isolating at home with coronavirus symptoms.
AA
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Breakdown assistance providers the AA are providing free support to NHS staff, regardless of if they have an AA membership or not.
The service includes free recovery to and from home too, and the AA can provide support to NHS workers if they get into mechanical difficulty at home.
MG
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MG has loaned 100 of its all-electric ZS model to NHS agencies in order to help them keep moving.
The first six cars were delivered to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS trust by the MG dealer Chorley Group.
Vauxhall
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Vauxhall has switched from making cars to performing quality control checks on key pieces of life-saving equipment. In fact, 22 of its staff from the firm’s Luton site have gone to Smiths Medical to help conduct in-line quality testing of ventilators.
Each team will work a 40-hour week during the secondment, which is expected to last until July 31.
Nissan
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Nissan is also providing free breakdown recovery to NHS staff who drive one of the firm’s vehicles. The firm has adapted its existing breakdown service to help cover these workers, regardless of the condition or age of the vehicle in question.
The cover also includes roadside repair and recovery to the nearest Nissan dealership still able to open for aftersales service.
Isuzu
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Isuzu has committed three of its hard-wearing D-Max trucks to aid in the completion of Birmingham’s Nightingale hospital, located at the NEC exhibition centre.
The pick-ups will be thrust into work at the assembly of the largest of all five Nightingale hospitals, with capacity for up to 4,000 beds.
Lamborghini
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Lamborghini, the Italian supercar manufacturer best known for making some of the most flamboyant and powerful vehicles available, has switched its focus during the coronavirus outbreak too.
It has started creating protective masks in the same department which usually produces vehicle interiors. At the same time, the firm’s R&D department is designing and building 200 medical shields each day crafted from polycarbonate.
