Paul's Great Neck Auto Repair

If it's not winter's salt and grime, it's mud and everyday dirt. Keeping your car clean can be a chore—a backbreaking one if you prefer to do it yourself.

But Nissan is testing a car that can keep itself clean, thanks to special paints that repel water and oils. Similar technology could eventually allow manufacturers to do away with windshield wipers by fending off water and grime. Meanwhile, new coatings can also help keep a car's interior cleaner, something especially useful for parents—or those actively involved in sports like camping and trail biking.

The Nissan Technical Centre in Switzerland is in the midst of testing a specially prepared version of the automaker's Note model for the European market. The subcompact hatchback has had a layer of a special coating, called Ultra-Ever Dry, applied over its conventional paint finish. Developed by UltraTech International, it repels oil and water.

Read MoreThis car's value just rose 525%: Here's how

That means that most common dirt, grime and oil won't stick to the vehicle's sheet metal. The Ultra-Ever Dry finish even works with rain, frost and sleet, Nissan reported after preliminary testing.

"The Nissan Note has been carefully engineered to take the stress out of customer driving," said Geraldine Ingham, the chief marketing manager for the hatchback. "We are committed to addressing everyday problems our customers face and will always consider testing exciting, cutting edge technology like this incredible coating application."

For the moment, the automaker says it has no plans to offer the coating as a standard feature but "will continue to consider [it] as a future aftermarket option."

Nissan developed another innovative paint technology a few years back, a self-healing paint. Known as the Scratch Shield, it uses an elastic resin mixed into a conventional paint formulation that, when exposed to sunlight, fills in small scratches within hours. But few motorists have been willing to pay the premium for the special formulations, so the automaker now offers the technology in only a few markets—not including the U.S..

Read MoreAutomakers push to eliminate side view mirrors

Nissan isn't the only automaker looking at hydrophobic coatings—which could prove an interesting alternative for keeping windshields clear and clean. The Hidra concept car, designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, relies on both aerodynamic design to minimize what comes close to the windshield, and a special coating to keep things from sticking if they do come into contact with the glass.

Under a hydrophobic outer coat, a second layer "pushes" dirt off to the sides, while a third layer essentially helps clean off grime. An additional, electrically conductive layer provides the power needed to make it all work.

The designers claim the technology behind the Hidra wiperless windshield could prove reasonably cost-competitive and could wind up in production in a few years, marking the most significant improvement in rain gear since the first hand-operated wipers were introduced more than a century ago.