WhyNot?

Glowing Car Paint

Category: New Safety Features
Responses: 3 (3 in support, 0 neutral, 0 in opposition)
Number of views: 7176
Tracking: Track this idea
Community Rating:Average AverageYour Rating:

Depending on where you're driving, cars at night can be quite difficult to see. You're approaching a vehicle on a two-way street with no divider, both of your headlights are on, light is bouncing off the shiny paint on both cars, and generally, it's a pain in the neck to really "see" the other car.

Would it be possible to have car paint, which glows at night, not in your typical "glow-in-the-dark" fashion, but in more of a "matte photo" way? So a blue car actually looks blue at night. Sunlight or ambient light could "recharge" the glow, or perhaps a mesh of wires could somehow power the paint.

Perhaps roads too could make use of this technology. Asphalt could be mixed with the luminescent substance to make the road glow a light gray colour.

seano, May 21 2005

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

agree I agree no opinion No opinion disagree I disagree

Users who liked this idea also liked:

Other ideas in category (New Safety Features):

Front Window Defroster (4 votes) Average
electromagnetic car-bumper (1 votes) Average
Windsheild (2 votes) Average
Flotation devices in cars (1 votes) Average
dynamic weight suspension (3 votes) Average
dimming side mirrors (9 votes) Strong
Cars' Emergency Salt Thrower (1 votes) Average
Low Traction Alert (1 votes) Average
Inspiring Drivers to Not Speed (1 votes) Average
automatic tyre pressure system (1 votes) Average
Relief from tailgaters (4 votes) Average
Fog Radar (2 votes) Average
Braking in Half the time (1 votes) Average
automobile cigarette toilet (1 votes) Average
Signal killer for cell phones (7 votes) Weak
Camera instead of side mirror (8 votes) Strong
weight based seat belt warning (1 votes) Average
Safety belt lock (6 votes) Weak
Breathalyzer Ignition Lock (6 votes) Average
Different stop signs (7 votes) Average
Car Under 18-Wheeler (13 votes) Strong
Cancel Driver's Licenses (6 votes) Weak
Forward-looking speed radar (2 votes) Average
Automobile Autopilot System (6 votes) Average
Front Mounted Video Cameras (2 votes) Average
No Hydroplaning (2 votes) Average
Collission Alert Device (3 votes) Average
Wrong way alarm (1 votes) Average
Exterior Air Bags (4 votes) Weak
Bumper Bags (4 votes) Average
Animal Repelling Device (4 votes) Average
traffic horn blowing problem (1 votes) Average
Special Sun Shade 4 Windshield (1 votes) Average
Automobile Safety Sensor (1 votes) Average
Seat Belt Mandatory (6 votes) Weak
Thermistor at side mirror (3 votes) Average
Two way cat's eyes (5 votes) Average
Situational Awareness System (1 votes) Average
The Guardian (2 votes) Average
Bus friendly speed bumps (3 votes) Weak
Rear Headlights (2 votes) Average
Police/Ambulance Warning (3 votes) Average
Driver Performance Reporting (4 votes) Average
One way exit ramps (3 votes) Weak
Gas Pedal Radar Brake (1 votes) Average
Reduce Teenage Auto Accidents (1 votes) Average
Glowing Car Paint (3 votes) Average
Front mounted side-view mirror (4 votes) Average
Car Versus Train (2 votes) Average
drivers license key-cards (5 votes) Average
rear/side view mirrors (3 votes) Average
Animal Repelling Device II (1 votes) Average
Crash Avoidance Stats (2 votes) Average
inner spare tire (8 votes) Average
Glow in the dark lane markings (5 votes) Average
Quick react anti-glare (3 votes) Average
Passenger faces backwards (5 votes) Weak
photochromatic windscreens (4 votes) Average
Turn signal monitor (3 votes) Weak
Air or Hydraulic Jacks (2 votes) Average
Side mirror turn signals (1 votes) Average
Rear-mounted video cameras (3 votes) Average
Comments from other members:

Add your comment

Sun charged GITD paint would die quickly.Phosphorescent pait (AKA Day-Glo) would look horrendous, for the most part.Self illuminating surfaces would be complex.

What would wourk is refelctive glass beads and a colored clearcoat.

classicsat, May 23 2005

You could always use those thing glow strips that joggers use - it's not reflective, but an electrical light source as thin as tape.

One possible problem is that cars are limited in the type of lights they may show and where. If it is not the right color or is too distracting, it may be illegal. (I believe all side lights have to be yellow, for instance.)

Pojken, Jun 24 2005

I believe what you are looking for is a clear glow coat, which allows the background color to show through. Not possible since glow paint itself is non transparent.

I believe road painting has been done in some places. Not the whole road but just on the white strips.

This site Glow Paint, provides some usefull tips on what can and cannot be done with glow paint.

2mymall, Oct 27 2005

A variation of this idea would be to place fluorescent markers on cars and in a strip at the center and the side of the road and on significant objects along the road and illuminate the road with ultra-violet light so only designated objects would glow. This might make seeing easier at night although animals and pedestrians would be a problem.

sand, Oct 27 2005

Copyright © Barry Nalebuff & Ian Ayres