BMW could be producing its color-changing technology as soon as 2027, according to an article by Driven.
The company first revealed its E Ink technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronic Show. E Ink allows consumers to change the exterior shade of their vehicle. glow in the dark for resin
E Ink is made up of millions of tiny microcapsules filled with white and black pigments that are moved up or down using an electric field to change the surface color, Repairer Driven News previously reported . The technology is found in eReaders, cell phones, medical wearables, logistical tags, and digital signs.
Driven reports the technology has made advancements since it was first revealed. This includes the technological ability to display intricate patterns and a range of colors. BMW showcased this with its designer piece the BMW i5 flow Nostokana at the Frize Los Angeles art fair in February.
“To accurately recreate every detail of the complex ornamentation, the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA has been fitted with 1,349 sections of film, each of which can be individually controlled,” a BMW press release says. “The laser cutting process used to trim the film and the electronic control design were developed in partnership with E Ink. The adaptation of the technology for curved surfaces, as well as the programmed animations, are all BMW Group in-house developments.”
Stella Clarke, the inventor of the technology, tells Driven she envisions a future where vehicles no longer use the traditional spray-painting cabins but rather every car can do every color via E Ink.
The technology could switch the color in hot weather from black to white to reduce heat consumption and potentially improve fuel efficiency and comfort, the article says. The article also says the technology is energy efficient, using only 20 watts to change the vehicle’s color.
“Of course, with such a groundbreaking technology come regulatory challenges,” the article says. “Concerns about driver distraction have led Dr Clarke to suggest that color changes should only be allowed when the car is stationary. While the cost of repairs for such cars might be high, for many, the price of such unprecedented style and functionality could be well worth it.”
E Ink U.S. Regional Business Unit Assistant Vice President Tim O’Malley told RDN in 2022 that repair details were unknown at that point.
“How a manufacturer would go into actual production would determine the repairs process,” he said. “However, because it’s a film, a collision repairer can assume that repairing a section of the car would also suggest a section of the film would be replaced as well.”
Earlier this year Toyota published a patent that would allow customers to change the color of their vehicle with thermal energy technology.
If Toyota uses the technology, they could manufacture a vehicle in a single color of paint that is responsive to thermal energy, the patent says. White is given as an example of that color.
The vehicle would be distributed to all dealerships as the base color. This method could eliminate overhead costs from ordering different paint colors for new vehicles, the patent says. It also could prevent vehicles from sitting on a lot for extended periods of time when certain colors do not appeal to potential buyers, it says.
The color of the vehicle would be changed by energy devices, such as large heaters, located inside a bay, garage, or tunnel. Walls or mirrors could be used to reflect the light, the patent says.
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