Coating eliminates that ‘whew!’ car smell

Admittedly, many of us treat our cars like roadside motels by using them for eating, drinking, sneezing, sweating, smoking or airing out dirty wet dogs on the upholstery. A tiny tree-shaped deodorizer hung on the rearview mirror doesn’t always cut the funk, much less deal with the stains and germs. Johnson Controls GmbH, Burscheid, Germany, has developed a better idea. Its new automotive fabric coating, FreshPer4mance, repels dirt and liquid, reduces static and is antimicrobial. Stubborn dirt wipes away without leaving any permanent marks.

For optimum, long-lasting protection, Johnson Controls (with core businesses in the automotive, building and battery industries) coats the entire upholstery fabric (both sides) to hold up to the heavy use cars sustain through the vehicle’s lifetime. The coating makes seats easier to clean, so it’s an ideal application for heavily used seat covers in commercial vehicles, as well as vehicles used by many drivers (such as rental cars, pool vehicles and car-sharing services). FreshPer4mance helps increase the cleanliness and re-sale value of private vehicles, while allowing automakers to expand upholstery fabric color choices from dirt-concealing beige or gray to, say, a distinctive yellow or light blue. Explore the possibilities at www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk.