Nissan Touts First Self-Cleaning Car After Testing Water, Mud Resistant Paint

I think it’s safe to say that it’s been at least a year since I last washed my car. Not that it doesn’t need it; I just rarely drive and can’t seem to find the time to actually run it through a car wash. But if a new paint being tested at Nissan takes off, none of us would have to worry about washing our cars again.

Nissan’s European research center recently tested Ultra-Ever Dry paint, which repels water and some oils, CNET reports.

The coating contains some really scientific sounding components (super-hydrophobic, oleophobic properties and complex micro-geometry) that causes water and some oils to bead and flow off.

Could the product usher in beginning of self-cleaning cars? Nissan seems to think so with its demonstration of how the new technology works. To test it out the company coated half of a Nissan Note with the paint and then drove through a water and mud-strewn course.

A video (posted below) shows water and mud easily falling off the car on the side with the new paint, while the side without appears to be covered in dirt residue.

The new product was developed by Ultratech International, a company that focuses on oil spill clean-up and industrial fluid management.

Don’t get too excited about skipping the car wash just yet. CNET reports that Nissan must evaluate the paint’s durability, cost, supple and appearance on vehicles before bringing it to market.

Nissan tries on dirt-resistant paint [CNET]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist