Subaru did this as an April Fools’ gag last year, but it looks like we must be careful what we wish for – Nissan has developed a prototype Note that, in a manner of speaking, can clean itself.
It does so with the help of specially-engineered super-hydrophobic and oleophobic paint, which repels water and oils. The self-cleaning Note will be tested over the coming months in a variety of conditions to assess the real-world performance of the paint as a potential aftermarket application.
Nissan is the first carmaker to apply the technology, called Ultra-Ever Dry, on automotive bodywork. By creating a protective layer of air between the paint and environment, it effectively stops standing water and road spray from creating dirty marks on the car’s surface.
The coating, which is being marketed and sold by UltraTech International, has so far responded well to rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water. Nissan says there are currently no plans to apply the technology to the model as standard, but will consider it as a future aftermarket option.
The Nissan Note already has a rear-view camera that cleans itself with a wash-and-blow-dry – water and compressed air is used to automatically keep the lens free of dirt and ensure the Note’s safety sensors work in all conditions.
