International. The paint manufacturer PPG announced that it has been working on the development of specific coatings adapted to the needs of autonomous and electric vehicles.
The company explains that blacks and grays are some of the preferred colors of drivers around the world. But when we think of the autonomous car, these finishes pose certain challenges, since dark surfaces absorb much more light than white ones and this interferes with the way in which the infrared signals emitted by the sensors of autonomous cars are returned. Therefore, vehicles that wear these finishes are less visible to autonomous cars, and this poses a problem in terms of road safety and deployment of this technology.
PPG, in its research department in the area of coatings for the aerospace industry, has developed a paint that makes cars visible to the eyes of autonomous vehicles. This is possible by incorporating a specific layer in the finish that allows to reflect the signals of the lords before they are absorbed at a deeper level.
This innovative technology of finishes for autonomous vehicles, as well as its proposals for coatings for batteries that are used in electric and hybrid vehicles, and that help control the temperature in these devices, were presented at the last North American International Auto Show.
PPG also announced that it has been working on solutions and coatings for other challenges faced by autonomous vehicles, such as keeping its sensors and cameras free of snow, ice and dirt.
