Advanced Paint Technology

[LeMans GTR]

A new era has dawned. Well for paint, anyway. A decision affecting residual car values as much as it does neighbourhood standings is that of car colour. Be it graphite, silver or gray, the choices are endless. But with the introduction of a new technology using 'paramagnetic' paint coating, the choice won't be set in stone the moment the car rolls off the production line. In fact, the concept is to allow owners to change the paintjob whenever they see fit - whether that be in the car park or at the lights.

The technology works by running a current through a special polymer applied to the vehicle before painting. This polymer contains particles of 'paramagnetic' iron oxide. With the application of an electric current, the spacing of the oxide's crystals is adjusted, affecting their level of light reflection and thus our colour perception.

Cars, being rather conductive metal objects, are therefore the perfect medium for such a technology, with the small current maintaining a particular colour. However, with no current, such as when the car is turned off, the paint would return to its default colour of white, making finding the car after a shopping trip a tricky business indeed.

It may sound like science fiction, but first commercial applications of the technology are expected on the market as early as 2010, with Nissan having already developed a 'self-healing' paint. Make sure you check out our recently-introduced and expanding Technology category. Source

[Labcoatguy]

Next step: make pixels out of it. Drive along in a car-ma chameleon and convey your moods to your surroundings.

[jensked]

When I saw the topic I thought this was another SuperZoom thread.

[petarkb]

Just wait until kids start writing obscenities on people's cars with those:

[SoxXpupPeT]

stupid idea. just something thatll go wrong and make your car hot pink without you wanting it to be

[blazer]

how would it do in the rain? or would the rain affect it?

[powah]

Originally Posted by petarkb

Just wait until kids start writing obscenities on people's cars with those:

yes.

[Austere]

I imagine all the colours would look shit anyway. I'm guessing here but I think it would just look like someone is shining a coloured light on the car. And the default is white? That sucks. That's like those Hypercolor t-shirts from back in the day where the base color is hideous and makes the wearer look like a fag and the color it changes into is revolting and makes you look like a poofter. But OOooOoh, look at me, my shirt changes colour.

load of wank...

[chaos386]

Originally Posted by petarkb

Just wait until kids start writing obscenities on people's cars with those:

Yes, because spending half an hour wiring up body panels with 9V batteries (remember, the color defaults to white when you remove the power) is so much easier than using a can of spray paint.

[BlaRo]

I've always wanted one of these!

[jebjeb]

Been wanting a car like that for years, but dont think it is legal or would be cheap.
Think of the fun you can have with cops...
Get pulled over give them your papers they go back ot the car write the ticket then switch colors when he comes back ask him to take a breathalizer test cause your car is black not white as he wrote down
Thought it might be doable when electronic paper came out but it wasnt thin enof or offered enof colors back when I looked into it.

[vRS]

Come off it, whats wrong with going down B&Q, buying a few tins of paint and doing it yourself, I mean how hard can it be?

[zenkidori]

Originally Posted by BlaRo

I've always wanted one of these!

One of my uncles had his classic truck painted a type of color shifting paint. When it was cold out, it was fire engine red, and when it got hot out it turned a bright orange. very cool stuff.

[petarkb]

Originally Posted by chaos386

Yes, because spending half an hour wiring up body panels with 9V batteries (remember, the color defaults to white when you remove the power) is so much easier than using a can of spray paint.

Aaah you're not fun anymore!

/I didn't see it needed power supply to sustain a colour.

[Blind_Io]

I like this idea, it would make my getaways much easier! Drive off in a white car and change the color every time you round a corner or go under a bridge.

[Narcolepsy]

Remember that girl painting her nails with a stylus in Total Recall? This would be sweet. Cept it getting keyed will probably set you back like 10 grand.