A new iPhone 4/iPhone 4S protective case has been released from an unlikely manufacturer.
Nissan is bringing the same kind of sophisticated technology it uses to automatically fix damaging vehicle scratches to a much more casual and mainstream consumer segment.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, you cannot walk into a store and buy a Nissan-branded protective case just yet.
The automaker is currently testing the idea in Europe and if it is satisfied with the reception there it will begin to expand in a big way.
In Europe, the technology is being licensed to mobile company NTT Docomo. The plan is to hopefully bring on more manufacturers to begin licensing as well.
The case could be a big hit with those who have a history of scratching their smartphones or even those who just bang it up with the normal level of wear and tear.
Nissan’s Scratch Shield technology not only helps prevent scratches, but for scratches that do occur, they heal themselves. To an extent.
The car company uses a substance called polyrotaxane, which can gradually help the gel-like case morph back into its original shape if it is structurally altered. This process can take from an hour to one week depending on how severe the scrape or blemish is.
Of course, it cannot repair catastrophic damage but it is still pretty neat to see the same kind of science used in protecting multi-thousand-dollar cars being scaled to market for a $200-$300 phone.
