Learn why washing your car is so 20th century

Many of us loathe the sloppy work of automatic car washes, but if your in a hurry it's often the quickest way to clean your ride. We'd agree that almost nothing beats a good old fashioned hand wash with care, until now.

Researchers at The Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have created a new coating that is self-healing (similar to the paint already offered by Nissan), but also able to self-wash your car. This will take advanced automotive paints to the next level.

The department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at TU/e claim the creation of their highly water-resistant coating on vehicles would allow superficial scratches to heal themselves and more importantly let water smoothly roll off along with any dirt it picks up along the way. This means the occasional rain storm would be enough to leave your car sparkling clean.

As for the catch, well researchers point out that the technology only works with superficial scratches that don't completely penetrate the coating. Experts say this technology could also be easily applied to cell phone displays, solar panels, aircraft and even contact lenses. They plan to collaborate with other researchers and corporate partners to further develop this coating technology for consumer use.

For those of you who still prefer the old school bucket and soap approach, check out this quick video on how to ensure you get the job done right.

News Source: Gizmag.com