Australian Company Sheds Light On In-Car Sun Exposure By Reupholstering A Camry With Human-Like Skin That 'Burns' In Sunlight

We know that extended exposure to ultraviolet radiation is a bad thing for the appearance and longevity of many components on our four-wheeled friends. Stuff like headlights, paint, and tires all suffer from the effects of sun exposure. What we might not consider as often, though, is how much of those UV rays we are exposed to while driving our cars. The impact of in-car sun exposure is magnified on the island continent of Australia, where a hole in the Ozone layer causes extremely high UV ray exposure, particularly in summer months. This has caused massive spikes in melanoma or skin cancer diagnoses and deaths, earning Australia and New Zealand the highest incidences of skin cancer in the world, according to ABC News AU.

To raise awareness and shed light on the risk of in-car UV ray exposure, a popular Aussie autoshop called MyCar Tyre & Auto, formerly Kmart Tyre & Auto Service, reupholstered the entire interior of a Toyota Camry in simulated human flesh, complete with hair and moles — it even turns red when exposed to UV rays. It's called The Sunburnt Car.

In order to produce such a striking art car, MyCar called upon Oscar-and-BAFTA-winning prosthetics and makeup effects company ODD Studio to develop a way to figure out how to make a lifelike simulation of human skin, complete with body hair, moles, and veins, and make it burn in UV light, too. The craftsmanship involved in completing this creepy creation is remarkable, with virtually every upholstered interior component removed and replaced with the dermis dupe. The special effects team also consulted doctors to ensure the most realistic results.

The motivation behind The Sunburnt Car was a study that found that 70% of Australians wrongly believe they're protected from the sun while inside a car. According to News.com.au, "Standard vehicle windows are not fully capable of blocking all harmful UV rays, and window tint can only reduce exposure by so little...."

MyCar Tyre & Auto is also providing "sun spot stickers" available at any of its locations across Australia, which change color when exposed to UV rays. The intention is to help motorists accurately understand when they are exposed to skin cancer-causing UV radiation, so they can apply sun protection and prevent continued exposure.