Car makers have begun converting their supply lines to start making ventilators and face masks and help provide vital medical resources in the fight against coronavirus.
Fiat began work on converting one of its Chinese car plants, in the aim of churning out around one million coronavirus masks per month.
Mike Manley, its chief executive, said that Fiat hopes to start producing masks in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile in the US, General Motors, Ford and Tesla have all offered to use their supply lines to start producing ventilators.
Elon Musk's Tesla plant is just one of a number of major car factories in the US, Europe and Asia that has suspended its typical production to start making medical supplies.
Musk has already informed the media that he has bought 1,255 ventilators from China and shipped them to Los Angeles for use.
On Sunday, US president Donald Trump issues a rallying call to automotive giants stateside in a tweet, saying: "Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! Go for it auto execs, let's see how good you are?"
The US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] has also lifted restrictions in the approval process for medical devices to hasten production.
The US Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar said: "Medical device makers can more easily make changes to existing products, such as changes to suppliers or materials, to help address current manufacturing limitations or supply shortages.
"Other manufacturers, such as auto makers, can more easily re-purpose production lines to help increase supply."
However, there are some concerns that switching production to start making such specialised equipment could take some time.
In Japan, Nissan is looking to develop and produce a new medical ventilator in partnership with fellow car maker McLaren and aerospace firm Meggit, while UK based Formula 1 teams said that they were looking to find a "tangible outcome" to provide fresh medical equipment to the NHS within the "next few days".
