Technology transfer from one sector to the other is nothing new but it’s not often that we hear about an automaker using one of its innovations on a cell phone accessory.
We’re talking about Nissan and its Scratch Shield paint technology that can heal scratches and which the Japanese company will soon premiere on a new series of mobile phone cases compatible with Apple’s iPhone 4 and iPhone 4 S.
The unique Scratch Shield paint finish promises to heal small scratches in as little as an hour, with more severe cases taking up to a week’s time, according to the company.
The technology was developed by Nissan in collaboration with University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc. initially for use on a variety of Nissan models such as the Murano, 370Z and X-Trail, along with the entire Infiniti range.
This is the first time that Nissan’s Scratch Shield paint has been used on a non-automotive product in Europe.
Nissan’s new iPhone case is made of ABS plastic that is widely used in the automotive industry and which is more rigid and robust than other kinds of plastics.
“We’re really excited about the possibilities provided by this technology,” said Bob Laishley, Overseas Programme Director Business Development for Nissan in Europe.
“In Japan, we’ve already linked up with world-leading mobile operator NTT DoCoMo to allow them to use the Scratch Shield technology on its Style Series N-03B mobile phones, and we think this technology has real scope beyond the automotive world,” he added.
Nissan said that it has already built a first batch of prototype iPhone 4 / 4S Scratch Shield cases for BETA testing with selected journalists and customers, adding that if demand proves strong, it will put them up for sale to the public later this year.
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