As of 15:00 on April 1, more than 780,000 cases of new coronary pneumonia have been diagnosed globally, with more than 39,000 deaths, and more than 200 countries and regions have confirmed cases. At present, the world's most in need of epidemic prevention supplies, including respirators are most in short supply. After the global car companies have stopped production, more and more car companies began to switch to the production of respirators, masks and other epidemic prevention materials. The epidemic is still spreading rapidly, and the global automobile industry is actively responding to it, putting all its efforts into this "war of the worlds".
AutoR is the first company in the world to have a new car in the world, and it's the only one that's going to be able to do it.
The new Crown pneumonia patients must rely on a ventilator to stay alive.
This is because at the onset of acute respiratory distress syndrome, the only way to ensure the patient's survival is to rely on ventilator-assisted or alternative respiration, otherwise respiratory and vital organ failure will result.
However, ventilators are expensive, usually more than $25,000, and ordinary hospitals are equipped only in intensive care units. When there is a surge of critically ill patients with new crown pneumonia, the few ventilators available become even more scarce.
According to the latest outbreak data, the U.S. has the highest number of confirmed cases of C.N.C.P. in the world (more than 180,000), while Italy, in second place, also has the highest number of confirmed cases in Europe (more than 100,000).
There are reports that there are 160,000 original ventilators in the United States, with an additional 12,700 stockpiled in the National Strategic Resource, and the American Hospital Association estimates that at the peak of the outbreak about 1 million Americans will be infected with C.N.C. pneumonia. With the rapid increase in confirmed cases, the demand for ventilators in the U.S. will be enormous.
And in Italy, where 6,100 ventilators are needed just for the moment, based on a 6.1 percent conversion rate to severe disease published by the WHO, there are only about 3,000 in Italy today.
That's just the number of ventilators needed for patients with severe cases of neocoronavirus pneumonia, not counting the needs of patients with other conditions.
In response, Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, said, "I'm afraid no number of ventilators is going to be enough once it gets to the worst cases."
British Health Secretary Hancock has also been calling for, "We will continue to buy ventilators, the more the better, with no upper limit."
At a time when the world's car companies are switching to production of anti-epidemic supplies, the most "hard-core" of them have already begun to produce respirators.
Two U.S. auto giants, Ford and General Motors, have teamed up to produce 50,000 respirators in Michigan over the next 100 days.
This switch to ventilator production will see Ford partnering with GE?Healthcare to produce the GE?/?Airon?AE model ventilator. According to the plan, after 50,000 ventilators have been produced, another 30,000 will be produced each month thereafter as needed.
This is a simplified ventilator designed to meet the needs of most patients with neocoronaryngitis with a production license and to operate at standard atmospheric pressures without the need for air. Its production can be scaled up quickly to meet the growing demand in the United States.
In addition, Ford plans to assemble more than 100,000 masks per week and use its 3D printing capabilities to produce components for use in personal protective equipment.
Ford President and CEO Jim?Hackett said, "Working creatively and tirelessly, the Ford and GE?Healthcare teams have found a way to rapidly produce respirators. By working closely with Michigan State University, we can help healthcare professionals save lives by producing this ventilator in Michigan, which is our top priority."
According to Peter?Navarro, the White House coordinator for the Defense Production Act, Ford and the GE medical team are moving on "Trump time" to put much-needed ventilators to work on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic.
By "Trump time," he was referring to Trump's recent tweet criticizing GM and urging that "GM must immediately restore the Loadstown, Ohio plant, or another plant, and start making respirators, now! Ford, make respirators, fast ！！！！！"
Peter Navarro said, "Just as Ford moved from making cars to making tanks during World War II in the last century, the Ford team is partnering with GE?Healthcare to utilize its outstanding engineering and manufacturing capabilities to help America solve its most pressing problems. We salute this effort and look forward to the first respirators rolling off the Michigan assembly line in record time, where we will honor this 'milestone'."
Currently, Ford's Rawsonville plant produces respirators nearly 24/7, with 500 employees represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) working three shifts.
Kieran Murphy, president and CEO of GE?Healthcare Group, said, "We applaud Ford's efforts to provide manufacturing capabilities, and with Ford's supply chain and production expertise, our deep understanding of the healthcare industry will help meet the unprecedented demand for medical devices. We are encouraged by the innovative ways in which companies are joining together to meet this collective challenge so quickly."
In addition to the U.S. car companies, reports say PSA Group and Valeo Group are providing factories as well as volunteers with production skills to help France increase domestic ventilator production and aim to produce 10,000 ventilators by mid-May.
The Mercedes-AMG?F1 team has also joined forces with University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals (UCLH) to develop a new respirator, with plans to fast-track mass production. The device is now reportedly approved and recommended by the UK's medicines regulator (MHRA) for use in the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
Mercedes-Benz is also actively supporting the production of medical devices, and with the help of 3D printers, they are producing individual components that are urgently needed for medical technology.
Jorg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management for Production and Supply Chain at Mercedes-Benz: "With our many years of experience in 3D printing technology, we are ready to make our own contribution to the production of medical devices. In the passenger car sector, 3D printing is usually used in prototype construction and small series production. Mercedes-Benz already uses 3D printers to produce up to 150,000 plastic and metal parts per year. Now, this capability can be used exclusively for medical purposes. All common 3D printing technologies are available, from stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modeling (FDM) to selective laser melting (SLM)."
And in Italy, supercar maker Lamborghini also announced on March 31 that it was producing anti-epidemic materials, and that some of the company's factories in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, would begin producing medical-surgical masks and Plexiglas protective face shields.
Stefano?Domenicali, president of Lamborghini, said, "In emergencies such as this, we feel compelled to do our part. We have therefore decided to offer our support to the Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital. We have had a relationship with this hospital for many years. We will stand united in support of those who are on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic every day, and the ultimate victory will be ours."
According to the official announcement, the Lamborghini factory will produce 1,000 masks per day, and the carbon fiber production plant and the 3D printers in the research and development department will produce 200 medical protective masks per day.
Lamborghini's headquarters building will be illuminated every night in the same color as the Italian flag to show the company's determination to fight the epidemic together with the country***.
Of course, in addition to producing "hard-core" materials, many car companies are also participating in the battle against the epidemic in more ways.
Toyota Motor North America has donated $500,000 to buy medical supplies and provide free lunches to local students. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Toyota dealership employees serve hundreds of hot dogs and hamburgers from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, several Toyota Motor North America plants are making 3D-printed face masks and actively seeking partners to produce respirators for use in U.S. preparedness efforts.
The most humorous of the car companies is Volkswagen, which headlined its official website with a modified version of the Volkswagen logo, with the V in the center of the circle separated from the W to convey the idea that people should be spaced apart during an epidemic.
Such a small gesture adds a touch of optimism to the tense battle against the epidemic, and provides a boost to morale from a new angle.
As Herbert Diess, chairman of the board of Volkswagen AG, said in an open letter, "At a time when public **** life and many business activities have come to a standstill around the world, our immediate priority is to support the fight against the pandemic as much as we can and to save as many people as possible. We are working hard to bring our global reach, logistics chain and resources to bear on this global crisis, and are grateful to all those who have contributed to this. After overcoming this crisis, we will restart all operational work. Thank you to every employee for their commitment and help."
This article comes from the authors of the Motor Home Car Family, and does not represent the viewpoint position of the Motor Home.