Having a dedicated violet LED allows the tech to work on-demand, regardless of the time of day.
General Motors is said to be working on a new tech which could automatically clean fingerprint smudges, oil residuals, dust and other debris from the surface of a screen.
According to reports, the American car brand has filed a patent for a “self-cleaning system for displays using light emitting diodes emitting invisible violet light”. As per the patent, in addition to the RGB LEDs embedded into the screens, there will also be a fourth LED which produces violet light.
General Motors explains that along with the violet LED, the display will also get a photocatalytic coating integrated into a transparent layer. When the violet light interacts with the photocatalyst on the screen, a chemical reaction takes place, which, with the water molecules in the air, can clean the surface of any dust or fingerprints.
Reports state that having a dedicated violet LED allows the tech to work on-demand, regardless of the time of day. The new tech can also be set to clean the screens at pre-defined intervals.
Having said that, this technology is still in its patent stage, and like any other patent, there is no guarantee it would make it onto a production model. However, if it does, it could be a costly feature option to have.
Keyword: GM patents new tech to automatically clean touchscreens