Japanese car company Nissan has developed an iPhone case that can automatically repair scratches. The smartphone cover, known as the Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case, uses a world-first paint technology where scratches mend without any human input.

Designed for Apple's iPhone 4 and 4S, the case is made of ABS plastic, a car industry-spec substance often used on car bumper bars that is known for its durability and flexibility. It is coated with Nissan's scratch resistant paint, and while the case is currently under trial, Nissan claims the prototype versions of the case can mend small scratches within an hour, while bigger scrapes can take a week to "heal".

The scratch resistant paint is currently available on a number of Nissan cars, including the Murano, 370Z and X-Trail, as well as all models in the upcoming Infiniti luxury car lineup.

The paint was developed by Nissan in conjunction with the University of Tokyo and coatings specialist Advanced Softmaterials Inc.