These Living Materials Are Shaping the Future of the Auto Industry

Living materials will define the future

Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and the very materials we use to build cars are gaining some intelligence of their own. Living, or smart, materials have been engineered to respond to the environment around them, as well as driver input. While it may sound like a work of science fiction, smart materials are spurring every industry forward, including the automotive sector. When applied to cars, living materials are defining the future of design, function, and sustainability of the industry.

Paint that can heal itself

Self-healing paint has been used for a while, but in its current state, it can only repair minor scratches and erase swirl marks over time. Nissan arguably pioneered self-healing paint technology with its Scratch Shield Paint, which was originally made available for its Infiniti luxury brand at the tail end of 2005.

Nissan’s self-healing paint originally had a lifespan of around three years and could repair scratches from keys, fingernails, and car washes in as little as a day, depending on the temperature. The clear paint was made of a high-elastic resin that protects the inner layers but becomes less effective as the years go by.

While repairing minor scratches might not sound like a major step, especially since it was originally put into commercial use 20 years ago, it does serve as proof of concept, and some automakers have even taken it a step further. The Lamborghini Terzo Millennio concept made its public debut in 2017 with plenty of futuristic tech, including self-healing carbon fiber.

An all-electric concept, the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio was developed with MIT engineers on the roster. The concept features the ability to detect cracks and damage to its carbon fiber components and heal them without outside interference. Nanotubes embedded throughout the carbon fiber structure direct resin to damaged areas in order to prevent further cracking. In time, this technology could change the entire structure of cars as we know them.

Materials that can change shape

3D printing took the world by storm a few years ago, but now the next step on the ladder is gaining traction. 4D printing is similar to 3D printing, except the printed part is capable of transforming over time and in response to external stimuli, including temperature and moisture. When exposed to stimuli, the printed material can change into a different predetermined shape.

Back in 2016, the BMW design department and MIT’s Self-Assembly Laboratory collaborated to create a system that uses air chambers to inflate and deflate a stretchy material. The material was 3D printed and programmed to take in or lose air as the need arose. Dubbed the “Liquid Printed Pneumatic,” the process gives BMW the opportunity to see a vehicle’s interior as fluid with the capability of actively adapting to the needs of the driver.

“There is no need to lock the car of the future into any particular shape. Interiors could even take on malleable, modular uses,” said Martina Starke, head of BMW Brand Vision and Brand Design.

In a similar fashion, NASA has created a shape memory alloy (SMA) that can be stretched and bent while retaining the capability to return to its original shape. Currently, SMA actuators are a solid upgrade from mechanical actuators that are used in several major automotive components, including windshield wipers, door locks, and more. SMA actuators are proven to have a higher resistance to potential hazards, like humidity and vibrations, than traditional actuators. While SMAs mostly make up small parts today, they open the door to a more fluid automotive design philosophy.

The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model, a 2008 concept, demonstrates how shape-changing materials could react to exterior conditions and speed. The sports car concept wears an elastic, water-resistant skin that doesn’t swell, shrink, or slacken. The fabric skin not only reacts to the environment around it, but drivers can also change the car’s shape. For example, electric and hydraulic actuators allow the headlights to slide through slits in the fabric, while the engine can be accessed via a slit in the middle of the “hood” of the car. The sports car can also change the shape of its rear spoiler for improved stability at high speeds.

Paint that can change color

Have you ever wished you could change the color of your car on a whim? BMW’s groundbreaking invention could make that wish come true. Unveiled at CES 2022, the BMW iX Flow concept features color-changing technology, allowing drivers to not only personalize their vehicle like never before, but to increase efficiency as well.

“This gives the driver the freedom to express different facets of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they sit in their car,” said Stella Clarke, Head of Project for the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink.

The iX Flow is wrapped in E Ink, the same material found in the Kindle and other e-readers, that allows it to change colors in a matter of seconds. At its public debut, the SUV concept could only shift through shades of black, grey, and white but fortunately, BMW was already looking toward the future and indicated that more vibrant colors were in the realm of possibility.

The BMW iX Flow with E Ink goes beyond simple color changes. It could help make EVs, in particular, more efficient by switching to a lighter color to reduce the amount of heat absorbed, thereby reducing air conditioner usage. Likewise, in winter, the paint could change to a darker shade to absorb more heat and reduce driver reliance on the heating system.

Final thoughts

From self-healing and color-changing paint to shape-shifting elements, living materials are well on their way to revolutionizing the automotive industry. We’re still a ways off from seeing industry-sweeping changes driven by these materials, though. While their influence definitely shouldn’t be understated, at this moment in time, the technology simply hasn’t evolved enough to take the world by storm. Now, in a decade or two, living materials could bridge the gap between biology and engineering. BMW, for one, seems heavily invested in living materials, so perhaps that’s where this revolution will truly pick up the pace.