Nissan developing the self-cleaning car

Motorists may never need to wash their cars again, as Nissan is helping to develop paint that repels mud, rain and dirt.

The technology, which Nissan tells us is “super-hyrophobic and oleophobic”, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and the environment, preventing dirt sticking to the car.

Nissan

Called Ultra-Ever Dry, the tech is currently being tested on the Nissan Note, which already features a ‘wash and blow dry’ function on its rear view camera. This uses compressed air and water to keen the lens clear and allow the Notes’ safety sensors to work in all conditions.

Chief marketing manager for the Nissan Note, Geraldine Ingham:

"The Nissan Note has been carefully engineered to take the stress out of customer driving and Nissan's engineers are constantly thinking of new ways to make families' lives easier.

"We are committed to addressing everyday problems our customers face and will always consider testing exciting, cutting edge technology like this incredible coating application."

Nissan

Although Nissan has said there are no plans to introduce the self-cleaning paint as standard, it has suggested it will consider offering the coating as an optional extra.

The coating is being marketed and sold by UltraTech International, meaning other manufacturers may offer it on their cars in the future.

For now, engineers at Nissan’s Technical Centre are assessing the real-world effectiveness of the technology by testing it on the Note in a variety of conditions.

And we can assure you, this is not a belated April Fool’s spoof…

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By Andrew Brady, Motoring Research