Summer heat turns a parked car into a real oven. According to the German automobile club ADAC, after just one and a half hours in the sun, the temperature inside the cabin can approach 60 degrees Celsius, while the steering wheel and dashboard heat up to over 70 degrees. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
In a separate study, ADAC experts determined which methods actually help keep the car cool. The tests compared several popular options: external and internal sunshades for the windshield, light-colored fabric on the dashboard, window tinting, and a so-called "semi-garage" cover that covers most of the car.
The best result was shown by the protective cover. Without any protection, the interior temperature reached 53 degrees, but under the cover, the air warmed up to only 43 degrees. Second place went to the external reflective windshield sunshade, which reduced the temperature to 45 degrees. However, the usual internal sunshades proved less effective, with the interior air warming up to 49 degrees.
Engineers also compared cars with white and black bodies. The difference was significant. The surface of a black car heated up to 65 degrees in the sun, while a white car reached only 44 degrees. Moreover, the temperature inside the light-colored car was about five degrees lower.
Tinting has almost no effect on the air temperature inside the cabin, but it helps reduce surface heating. For example, on the rear seat without tinting, specialists recorded 57 degrees, while with tinted windows it was about 48 degrees. This is especially important for children during trips.
ADAC recommends covering the steering wheel and dashboard if possible, ventilating the car before a trip, and never leaving children, animals, or electronics inside.
The experts concluded that any sun protection measures work better than none at all. The maximum effect is provided by external screens and special protective covers that prevent direct sunlight from heating the interior.
Earlier, KazAvtoZhol reminded drivers why they should not leave a child alone in the car in summer. Also, Kursiv Avto published a checklist to help protect the car from summer breakdowns.