The Inflatable Car Wash

The British branch of the online automotive auctioneer eBay Motors is tackling one of the more curious potential problems of global warming: dirty cars. As England suffered through one of its hottest summers in more than a century-one in which draconian water-use restrictions went into place in drought-stricken areas-eBay decided to challenge a U.K.-based automotive think tank to find a way to keep cars squeaky-clean with less water. (A 15-minute rinse in the driveway can use up to 36 gallons of water, enough to keep a person alive for nearly four weeks.)

After some off-the-wall ideas, one of which involved firing polyester balls at the car, engineers at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) hit upon a more practical concept: a car â€dishwasher.†The setup involves an inflatable structure that zips up like a tent around the car. Inside, a combination of steam and water cleans the vehicle in about an hour. Whereas a traditional dishwasher uses about 11 gallons of water during one run, the MIRA concept would drain and filter the water for reuse, using less than a gallon of water for a single wash. As a bonus, you could use the filtered water to hose down the lawn. MIRA has yet to announce plans to produce the device.r