Nissan has begun working on paint technology for a self-cleaning car that might mean the end of ever having to wash your car again.

NISSAN HAS BEGUN TESTS ON INNOVATIVE PAINT technology that repels mud, rain and everyday dirt, meaning drivers may never have to wash their car again. The super-hydrophobic and oleophobic paint, which repels water and oils, has been applied to the all-new Nissan Note to create the world’s first self-cleaning car.

To assess the real-world effectiveness of the super-hydrophobic as a potential aftermarket application, engineers at Nissan Technical Centre Europe will be testing the self-cleaning Note over the coming months in a variety of conditions.

How’s it work? The paint technology is called Ultra-Ever Dry and while it hasn’t been developed by Nissan, Nissan’s application of it on the Note is the first automotive use of the paint system which effectively creates a protective layer of air between the paint and everything else, effectively stopping standing water and road spray from leaving dirty marks on the car’s surface.

It’s not the first time ‘self-cleaning’ technology has been used on the Note. The car already features a ‘wash and blow dry’ function on its rear view camera. This uses water and compressed air to automatically keep the lens free of dirt and ensure the Notes’ safety sensors work in all conditions.

So far, the coating, which is being marketed and sold by UltraTech International Inc®, has responded well to common use cases including rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water. Whilst there are currently no plans for the technology to be applied to the model as standard, Nissan will continue to consider the coating technology as a future aftermarket option.