Nissan may have invented the first self-cleaning car.
The Japanese automaker is testing a new type of paint that repels water, mud and dirt to stay pristine. The special paint technology, which is called Ultra-Ever Dry, has been used on a white Nissan Note in Europe for experimentation, Edmunds.com reported.
The exterior coating "repels mud, rain and everyday dirt, meaning drivers may never have to clean their car again," Nissan said in a statement on Thursday, as quoted by Edmunds. "So far, the coating, which is being marketed and sold by UltraTech International Inc., has responded well to common-use cases, including rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water."
As shown in a YouTube video, the white Nissan Note with the new paint appears to stay clean as it goes through water and mud and is covered with various splashes.
The coating technology isn't headed to production yet, but Nissan has said the paint could be a "future aftermarket option," Edmunds reported.
The Ultra-Ever Dry paint is another example of how automakers are working to make daily vehicle maintenance easier. Edmunds noted that Honda's 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite minivan has an added feature for convenience: a built-in vacuum cleaner to tidy up the cabin.
According to the New York Daily News, the paint is likely super-hydrophobic and oleophobic, giving it total resistance to water and oils. Nanotechnology puts a tiny layer of air between the paint and its surroundings to protect the exterior color.
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