Cars that can change colour like a chameleon or even alter the shape of their bodywork at the touch of a button may still be visions of a relatively distant future. However, such clever vehicles remain fascinating because they can no longer be simply ruled out as wishful thinking. "Despite its visionary quality, the idea of a car that can change its colour or reshape its body has a realistic underpinning -nanotechnology," explains Ulf Koenig of DaimlerChrysler Research in Ulm, Germany. Koenig, who heads the Electronics and Mechatronics research section in the Processes and Components department, knows exactly what he is talking about - he also directs the company's nanotechnology working group and coordinates the Nano in the Car trade association - a group established by German carmakers and suppliers. Koenig has no doubts that nanotechnology will lead to numerous innovations for the automotive industry in the years ahead.
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