The days of the car wash could be numbered, as Japanese car giant Nissan unveils a new type of paint that cleans itself.
Termed ‘super-hydrophobic’ and ‘oleophobic’ nano-paint, it repels dirt and water before it gets attached to a car's surface.
The paint costs around £450 and is under development by Nissan's UK engineers. The paint may feature on future versions of the Sunderland-built Nissan Note, which has been on sale since October.
For those among us who don't enjoy spending our Sunday afternoons soaping down our cars, or for those who would be attracted by the hassle-free nature of a self-cleaning car, the invention could be ideal.
And let's not forget all those car wash fees – which over a car's lifetime might add up to much more than the additional cost of the new paint.
If the technology is rolled out across Nissan's range then the cost of the paint may come down over time as production is made more efficient.
The trade-marked paint technology is called Ultra-Ever Dry® and Nissan will be carrying out real-world testing at its European Technical Centre at Cranfield in Bedfordshire.
The covering creates a protective layer between the paint and the environment, stopping road spray from dirtying the car's body.
A Nissan spokesman said: ‘So far, the coating has responded well to common use cases including rain, spray, frost, sleet and standing water.’
From a vehicle recovery breakdown viewpoint, the new technology does not make much difference in terms of the mechanical well-being of a car, but it could certainly make life easier for many drivers.
Breakdown Cover from 
