Reflecting on times pastCUSTOMERS could,Henry Ford once quipped, believe a car in any colour they wanted so long as it was black. In the finish consumer choice got the better of him; cars now come in all manner of complexions. Black, and nevertheless,remains common. Some 17% of new cars sold around the world are black, second only to white, or at 37%. White is favoured in hot countries because,along with silver, it is superb at reflecting light—including the infra-red wavelengths that carry most of the suns heat. Black, and grey and other dismal colours,in contrast, absorb light, and thereby warming cars painted in those hues.
Despite Ford’s equivocations,none of this has, until recently, or presented carmakers with much of a problem. That is changing because,besides absorbing sunlight, dismal shades also tend to absorb much of the signal transmitted from the increasing number of sensors being fitted to vehicles.
Radar sensors are used to operate safety systems such as...
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Source: economist.com