Paramagnetic paint lets you change your car's color on a whim

Sure, the whole "temporary vehicle paint" idea was a fine concept if you adored hassles, but Nissan scientists at TK have a much cleaner approach for those who appreciate easy. The effect is paint color change at the press of a button, and the secret is a "special polymer containing paramagnetic iron oxide particles," which is applied to the whip's exterior; an "applied electric current then adjusts the spacing of small crystals within the iron oxide particles, and therefore affects their ability to reflect light and change color." Essentially, vehicles could rock a default color when turned off, and then your imagination could go wild once you turned over the ignition. If all goes well, expect to see commercial applications ready to roll by the time Fast and the Furious: 10 Times 2 Many hits theaters (or 2010, whichever comes first).

[Via Autoblog]

Update: Sounds like Nissan expressed some interest and / or viewed a demo of the tech, but isn't actually the developer. Quite in fact, we're not entirely sure which scientists claimed to have developed this tech in the first place, but we'll let you know if more details become available.

[Toadlet @ Nov 9th 2007 3:12PM]

Two words: crime spree

[phenom @ Nov 9th 2007 4:07PM]

two words: license plate.

[Jay @ Nov 9th 2007 4:14PM]

Two Words: Fake Plates

:D

[Nando @ Nov 9th 2007 5:01PM]

Two words: two words

[Mac Dub @ Nov 9th 2007 5:15PM]

two words

[liin @ Nov 9th 2007 6:04PM]

C'mon license plates are for confirmation after getting up-close to something that fits witness/owners' description. Try spotting a targeted license plate in traffic. Plus, have you ever heard of any witness said, " Oh I saw them off in a WX1234YZ car. "?

[Abuzar @ Nov 10th 2007 9:54AM]

Three words:You killed it

[strdust @ Nov 9th 2007 3:14PM]

somehow this scream that scene in batman beyond where the guy rob a research lab then change his car color during the chase.

[Towncivilian @ Nov 9th 2007 3:17PM]

I can't wait for the cars which are moving advertisements. Or porn site ads. Or "YOU JUST WON THE UK LOTTERY".

[Nick @ Nov 9th 2007 3:29PM]

Too Late

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/28/pimpstar-rims-for-the-opinionated-driver/

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/31/chrysler-300-sports-display-equipped-wheels-at-sema/

[Mark @ Nov 9th 2007 3:17PM]

You can bet your ass I would be speeding a LOT more with this...

[Josh @ Nov 9th 2007 7:17PM]

No kidding, just switch to black at night and you are safe anywhere, looks clean during the day with white too...

[martin @ Nov 9th 2007 3:18PM]

oh the police will love that

[Beamey @ Nov 9th 2007 5:42PM]

how much is the criminal going to love it when that rusty green crown vic turns into a police cruiser at the blink of an eye.

[laughallway2bank @ Nov 9th 2007 3:18PM]

an "applied electric current then adjusts the spacing of small crystals within the iron oxide particles, and therefore affects their ability to reflect light and change color."

so what happens when you take it to the car wash?

[liin @ Nov 9th 2007 3:18PM]

Ah, you beat me to it. Guess criminals think alike.

[fearless_fx @ Nov 9th 2007 3:20PM]

Could be interesting if someone hacks the computer controlling the paint and manages to get some constantly swirling rainbow of colours going, that wouldn't be distracting at all.

[Nick @ Nov 9th 2007 3:27PM]

or you could just have you passenger press the big red button ever couple seconds.

[martin @ Nov 9th 2007 3:25PM]

now just make ipods that can do that!

[Dean @ Nov 9th 2007 3:26PM]

lol, i can see that most thought what i did, this would be a nightmare for the 5-0, if this technology ever gets perfected and released, I have a feeling it would get banned by the DOT. anyway, this seems really cool, its kinda like an LCD pixel except it can be used on a curved surface.

[mmh @ Nov 9th 2007 3:28PM]

I want a license plate changing paint.

[Natedog @ Nov 9th 2007 9:03PM]

Watch the Mythbusters episode where they try to beat the speed camera. That, coupled with the changing paint, would be ridiculous.

[invictus1er @ Nov 9th 2007 3:31PM]

Sure beats SPRAY N PAINT!

overcharging bastards...

[silicon @ Nov 9th 2007 3:34PM]

saw this on csi new york

[daniel @ Nov 9th 2007 3:54PM]

I'd love to see it on the NYC subways...each line train could change color related to its line, or if it's running express

[ebob9 @ Nov 9th 2007 3:44PM]

They've had this since the 80's!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0-n_cR9Hig

(at about 5:52, if you're impatient)

[Preston @ Nov 9th 2007 3:35PM]

Mmmmmm... Nissan GTR...

[TA @ Nov 10th 2007 9:30PM]

Yup, that's a nice car...

[Jimmy Jones @ Nov 9th 2007 3:45PM]

Not bad idea. Combining that with a license plate that changes while the paint changes will be great tool for committing crime everyday.

[HineyWipe @ Nov 9th 2007 4:02PM]

"What is your favourite colour?"

"BLUE! No, Green! Aaayyyyyyyyyyeeeee"

[defresh_2000 @ Nov 9th 2007 4:03PM]

"10 Times 2 Many"

Classic!

[deedeedee @ Nov 9th 2007 4:04PM]

holy shit thats like that phase shift armor in Gundam Seed, thats awesome!

I want my car to look as grey and dull as it can when its off but when switched on, part of the body shows vivid coloring! And i think only applying the paint to small parts of the body is a better idea instead of the whole exterior frame

[Jeff @ Nov 9th 2007 4:30PM]

Ah, see, there's where the idea kind of dies. When the car is off, the paint reverts to white. It will make for "a lot of boring parking lots," as Autoblog (I think) put it.

Personally, I think it's a dumb and pointless idea unless you're Paris Hilton and you really need your car to match your shoes and purse.

[sunpippy @ Nov 9th 2007 4:11PM]

Johnny Dangerously could have used that, seems alot better than the peel away paint

[TIMMAH! @ Nov 9th 2007 4:18PM]

The bondo on the big-ass, ricer spoiler will still be grey however...

Now if they could just get the shape-shifting perfected...

[paul34 @ Nov 9th 2007 4:24PM]

So, I like how they announced this - and I remember the self-healing paint announcement - but where is it?

That's the question. Where are these things they laud?

[Fubar @ Nov 9th 2007 7:41PM]

It's in the trunk of my flying car....

[rob @ Nov 9th 2007 5:50PM]

I can picture it now. Rollin in your Z, pickin up on girls. Press the button, the whole thing shorts out and now your stuck with a $30000 pink car!

[3rdsun @ Nov 9th 2007 5:56PM]

Carmeleon

[9bit @ Nov 9th 2007 11:36PM]

Charmeleon
No, wait. Carmillionaire

[knight3058 @ Nov 12th 2007 12:58PM]

Now think of this one...hook it up to an onboard computer running WinAmp and have the paint respond to Milkdrop....can you say trippy?

[james @ Nov 9th 2007 9:18PM]

I'll get this just to stick it to the Prius owners. I'm burning extra gas just because I like some jackass color.

[Chicksta @ Nov 9th 2007 9:18PM]

They had a TV show on NBC in the late 80s where they had a bunch of Ferraris (or some sort of sportscar) that could do this. A helicopter would be chasing it, and it'd go into a tunnel, then come out the other side a different color, totally fooling the people chasing them.
It was obviously some producer's slick means to get multiple Ferraris as tax write-offs.
And I do think it was called Cameleon (not clever enough for 'carmeleon')

[random667 @ Nov 9th 2007 9:38PM]

In the movie Total Recall (1990) there was a girl that had electronically controlled color changing nail polish.

I've wanted some paint like that ever since i saw that movie.
And i figured it was just a mater of time.

[digitallysick @ Nov 9th 2007 9:40PM]

This rocks, i remember those hotwheels when i was young that would change color if they got wet, or in hot water i thought how great it would be if it was on a real car

[filpaul @ Nov 9th 2007 11:49PM]

I doubt they would let you change the color on your own, for all the above reasons. And why would they let you, when could make you pull into the dealership and make even more money off you. Their computers would make the change and record it for the authorities.

[Chris Kraynik @ Nov 9th 2007 11:56PM]

I used to think that you had to report changes in a vehicle's paint color to the California DMV within a matter of like a week or something, but I can't find it in the CVC (California Vehicle Code) anywhere. Hmmm, guess it's legal then? >:D

[Maggard @ Nov 10th 2007 12:52AM]

Sorry, but this isn’t gonna result in dial-a-color.

What it does mean that cars can have range of shades, but yer not gonna back to go black to white to red, much less paisley or plaid.

Also it’ll be darn hard (if not impossible) to make these vehicles a consistent shade of color. So you might get brown on the hood, beigey on the roof, and distinctly pink by the rear bumper.

So if spending a a few extra big ones for a car that can go from muddy-this to sickly-that turns your crank then by all means go celebrate–a new day is dawning!

Me, I’m just looking forward to interior LED moodlighting.

[tealfixie @ Nov 10th 2007 1:45AM]

buncha nerds...

[apeguero @ Nov 11th 2007 4:15AM]

This reminds me of the Cannon Ball movie (1 I think) of where the two ladies in the Lambo were being chased by a cop. They then speed up to lose the cop, pull over, wash out the dark paint with a hose, thereby changing the color of the car from a dark color to a white color, and trippin' out the copper. I love that movie.