Nissan tests self-cleaning paint

[Yuriman]

Not exactly self-cleaning, but highly hydro- and oleo-phobic.

Video in link.

Source.

During this vile, never-ending winter, motorists had three options to keep their cars clean: Shell out on regular car washes; slave away in the cold, wind and snow washing it yourself, or screw it and just drive a dirty car. I, like many, chose the last option. But if only I'd been able to test Nissan's self-cleaning car, all my troubles would have washed away.

Nissan revealed today that it's testing a super-hydrophobic and oleophobic paint, impervious to water and oils. The technology, sold by UltraTech under the name of Ultra-Ever Dry, is in prototype form as applied by the carmaker's European engineers on a Nissan Note. In many ways, it works like Rain X (where the solution's polymers react with pores in the windshield glass to create a barrier that repels precipitation). Ultra-Ever dry creates a layer of air between the paint and environment; when mud, dirt or oils touch the surface, it rolls off leaving a clean, streak-free appearance.

Water-resistant coatings aren't new, and Nissan has offered a self-healing product (Scratch Shield) on its cars for years. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have been developing a surface coating that not only repels precipitation like Rain X, but combines the self-healing aspects of Scratch Shield. In 2012, those same researchers expected to be six to eight years away from a production-ready product.


The paint being tested by Nissan is ready for production, and as you can see in the images and video, it appears to do its job as intended. No plans are being made to include the paint as standard on future Nissan vehicles; however, the Japanese automaker says it might sell the technology as an add-on — or perhaps as the ultimate in special dealer-pitched coatings.

The cost of the paint has not been revealed – or how long its repellant features lasts before needing a re-coat (Scratch Shield lasts around 3 years). Something so simple makes you wonder why we aren't already driving self-cleaning cars. Nissan looks set to make that vision a reality. After this winter, my wife will be thrilled.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

this has been a few years away for the last 40 years

 

[TridenT]

this has been a few years away for the last 40 years

Well, I think the tech has been around... It's just making it so that the coating stays on for 10+ years has never been around.

I doubt Nissan has actually developed a 10+ year coating and is instead just basically selling the rustoleum shit for $$$$.

 

[Railgun]

Just use rain-x.

 

[chin311]

sounds nice but probably far off. until then i'll continue to wax & sealant since that's as close as I can get to a "repellant"

 

[KDKPSJ]

From my experience (G37 & EX35 owner) with their Scratch Shield paint, for this kind of thing, I wouldn't take whatever Nissan says too seriously until it's available in the market. Sure, it did work, but to much less degree than what Nissan had said how great and awesome it was.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yet another reason I'm glad I live in an area that never gets snow.

 

[SearchMaster]

My area rarely gets snow either but the rain is enough to make this intriguing.

 

[Throckmorton]

Good. If you have mud on your commute, you know that your car is always dirty. But with tech like this you can just hose it down to get it clean