COVID-19: Carmakers Around the World Lend a Helping Hand

Production and sales of motor vehicles have slowed down everywhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, instead of focusing purely on their businesses and how to get back to profitable ways once all of this is over, many carmakers are playing a bigger role by doing their best in fighting the pandemic as well as to help those in need.

Audi for instance, has announced that it is providing 5 million euros in emergency aid to support medical and social institutions in Germany, on top of providing humanitarian aid.

Prior to this, the company had already donated 600,000 euros to hospitals in the country. Outside Germany, Audi is providing monetary assistance and medical equipment in nations like Hungary, Brussels, and China.

Lamborghini on the other hand, has started producing surgical face masks and protective shields from its plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese. A total of 1,000 masks and 200 shields are being produced on a daily basis.

The Volkswagen Group has also contributed medical equipment worth almost 40 million euros. The list of equipment sponsored includes face masks, gloves, disinfectants, clinical thermometers, protective goggles, and protective clothing.

Manufacturers aside, F1 teams have also decided to join forces and contribute to the cause. The “Project Pitlane”, comprising Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, BWT Racing Point F1 Team, Haas F1 Team, McLaren F1 Team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Renault DP World F1 Team, and ROKiT Williams Racing, are currently developing medical equipment such as ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients.

Realising that there is such high demand for respiratory aid due to the overwhelming amount of patients, Ford, together with GE Healthcare, will be producing 50,000 ventilators at its plant in Michigan. But that is not all, as Toyota is also producing ventilators and face shields in America.

It is safe to say that these efforts are just the tip of the iceberg, as almost every company out there is taking some sort of measure to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic and those affected.

Regardless of whether they are providing financial aid, developing medical equipment, donating vehicles to be used by the frontliners, or sharing something as simple as colouring images for children who are stuck at home, something is being done, and it certainly deserves credit. Thank you!