Washing a car can be a chore - and a costly one at that. In response, Nissan has begun tests on innovative paint technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt, meaning drivers may never have to clean their car again.
"The paint, developed by engineers at the Nissan Technical Centre in the UK, is hydrophobic and oleophobic, reports Wired.
"That means it repels water and oil. Nissan’s engineers have applied the finish, called Ultra-Ever Dry, to a Nissan Note and say it does a remarkable job repelling rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water. If the video is to be believed, mud literally slides right off."
There’s nothing new about hydrophobic or oleophobic coatings, Wired notes. Rust-Oleum offers a hydrophobic spray that works (mostly) as advertised, and the iPhone features an oleophobic coating to reduce fingerprints on its precious screen.
But it's new to cars, and Nissan will continue testing it. The Japanese car maker says it has no plans to offer the paint as standard equipment, but will consider making it an option.
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