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Panasonic, Grab team up to offer passengers more hygienic premium vehicle
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GrabCar Premium vehicles bearing the logo of Panasonic’s proprietary nanoe™ X technology are on display in this handout photo from Grab. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grab and Panasonic have joined hands to ensure air hygiene for customers through the premium ride-hailing service, which was launched in five major cities in four Southeast Asian countries, including Jakarta. (Courtesy of Grab Indonesia)
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has made many people more aware of air hygiene – maintaining the cleanliness of air for the health – especially in closed, air-conditioned spaces like our homes and offices as well as public facilities, but also both private and public vehicles.
In response, Japanese electronics multinational Panasonic Corporation and Singapore’s Grab Holdings Inc., the technology company behind Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, Grab, have announced that they are combining their expertise with an aim to give customers a more hygienic riding experience.
The collaboration plans to introduce a new service, GrabCar Premium, that incorporates Panasonic’s nanoe™ X Generator air purification solution. The initial rollout will launch about 5,500 GrabCar Premium vehicles by the end of January 2021 in Jakarta as well as four big cities in three neighboring countries: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam.
All vehicles operating the GrabCar Premium service will be equipped with the portable USB-powered air purifier. The compact, tumbler-shaped device fits in a car’s cup holder, the most strategic placement to maintain interior air hygiene for the entire vehicle.
Committed to its “Quality Air for Life” concept, Panasonic has been innovating solutions to improve air quality, especially in Southeast Asia. Its nanoe™ X Generator devices have been scientifically proven to eliminate unpleasant odors, reduce allergens and deactivate 99 percent of bacteria and viruses in a closed space by releasing electrically charged water molecules that destroy or inhibit harmful particles in the air.
The device draws moisture from the air and then releases nano-sized, ionized water molecules that carry hydroxyl (OH) radicals that are highly reactive and work to suppress pathogens in the air.
Homes have installed nanoe™ X appliances like air conditioners, air purifiers, washing machines and refrigerators, and the technology is also available in commercial equipment for stores and offices.
To help spread the buzz about the new partnership, Grab is using GrabAds, a unique online and offline advertising solution. The campaign covers product placement inside GrabCar Premium vehicles and will feature the nanoe™ X Generator on the Grab app homepage, accessed by more than 214 million smartphones across the region.
GrabAds has cemented its reputation as the advertising platform of choice for brands in Southeast Asia, the company said in its press release.
“Our partnership with Panasonic reflects our conviction that advertising is not a one-way street, but a two-way communication channel where brands and customers can exchange things of value,” said GrabAds regional managing director Ken Mandel.
“This partnership has, at the same time, marked a new dawn in our GrabAds business beyond our ecosystem to help brands connect and engage with Southeast Asian customers. We will continue implementing collaborative schemes, working with brands and agencies to launch impactful campaigns in Southeast Asia,” he added.
