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business/technology Tuesday 28 april 2020
Hotels, Airbnb beef up cleaning standards to calm travelers

By DEE-ANN DURBIN homes when the virus re-
AP Business Writer cedes because they can
Hotels and home-sharing stay further apart from
companies are beefing up other guests. The company
their cleaning efforts in or- says as of late March, reser-
der to soothe jittery travel- vations at least six months
ers. out were trending higher
Hilton said Monday it's than last year.
teaming up with RB — But unlike hotels, Airbnb
which makes Lysol and could have a harder time
Dettol disinfectants — and enforcing standards at its
the Mayo Clinic to develop 7 million listings. The com-
new cleaning procedures pany said hosts who don't
that will be in place by June. commit to its new clean-
The news follows Marriott's ing standards can opt for a
announcement last week new feature that will keep
that it's creating a cleanli- their properties empty for
ness council to develop longer than 24 hours be-
new standards. Marriott's tween stays. q
council includes infectious In this March 27, 2020, file photo, a downtown hotel leaves lights on in vacant room windows to
disease specialists and an form a heart in Kansas City, Mo.
expert from EcoLab, which Associated Press.
makes commercial clean- hotel occupancy is at a said. The program will roll no one else has entered.
ing products. historic low, and many ho- out globally to all 6,100 It's doing away with pads
Airbnb also said Monday tels worldwide have closed Hilton hotels by the end of paper and pens in the
that it's developing clean- temporarily and furloughed of May. Cordell said Hilton room, and it will close fit-
ing protocols for its hosts staff. Airbnb has promised expects travelers to slowly ness centers more often to
with guidance from former $250 million in reimburse- start returning to its hotels in wipe them clean. Stations
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. ments for hosts to help mid-summer. with disinfectant wipes will
Vivek Murthy and EcoLab. make up for lost business. In North America, the be added throughout ho-
Airbnb said starting in May, As restrictions ease, com- program will be adver- tels.
guests will be able to see if panies know they need to tised to consumers as Hil- Cordell said Hilton an-
a host commits to Airbnb's make guests feel safe. ton CleanStay with Lysol. ticipates some things will
new cleaning protocol, "There's always been an ex- Cordell said Hilton has al- change over time, like
which includes require- pectation that it would be ways used commercial requirements that guests
ments for cleaners to wear clean, but now the clean cleaning products, but sit further apart in dining
masks and use certain dis- has a double exclama- thought partnering with rooms.
infectants. As a precaution, tion point after it," said Phil a well-known consumer But he thinks the new clean-
hosts will also be required Cordell, senior vice presi- brand like Lysol would em- ing protocols are here to
to observe a 24-hour wait- dent and global head of phasize how serious it is stay.
ing period before booking new brand development about cleaning. "I don't think it's a short-term
new guests in a property. at Hilton. Hilton plans to put a seal thing. I think it's a long-term
Hospitality companies Hilton will require fran- on the door of a room that thing," Cordell said.
have been hammered by chisees to adopt its new has been cleaned and dis- Airbnb believes consumers
the new coronavirus. U.S. cleaning program, Cordell infected, so guests know might seek out its shared

Tesla says cars can automatically stop for traffic lights

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer used with the Traffic Aware Cruise week that the new feature is being
DETROIT (AP) — After testing on pub- Control or Autosteer systems. The sent to the wider Tesla fleet as part
lic roads, Tesla is rolling out a new feature will slow the car whenever of an over-the-Internet software up-
feature of its partially automated it detects a traffic light, including date for thousands of vehicles. The
driving system designed to spot stop those that are green or blinking yel- feature won't come until later in
signs and traffic signals. low. It will notify the driver of its intent other parts of the world, the website
The update of the electric car com- to slow down and stop, and drivers said.
pany's cruise control and auto-steer must push down the gear selector The National Highway Traffic Safety
systems is a step toward CEO Elon and press the accelerator pedal to Administration, the U.S. govern-
Musk's pledge to convert cars to ful- confirm that it's safe to proceed. ment's road safety agency, said in
ly self-driving vehicles later this year. The company warns in the note ob- a prepared statement Monday that
But it also runs contrary to recom- tained by The Associated Press that the agency "will closely monitor the
mendations from the U.S. National drivers must pay attention and be performance of this technology,"
Transportation Safety Board that ready to take immediate action adding that drivers must be ready
include limiting where Tesla's Au- "including braking because this fea- to act and law enforcement agen-
topilot driving system can operate ture may not stop for all traffic con- cies will hold them responsible.
because it has failed to spot and re- trols." Jason Levine, executive director of
act to hazards in at least three fatal The note says that over time, as the the Center for Auto Safety, a non-
crashes. system learns from the fleet on the profit watchdog group, said Tesla
In a note sent to a group of Tesla roads, it "will control more naturally." is using the feature to sell cars and
owners who were picked to test the Tesla didn't respond to multiple re- get media attention, even though it
stop light and sign recognition fea- quests for additional details, but the might not work. "Unfortunately, we'll
ture, the company said it can be website Electrek.co reported last find out the hard way," he said. q