A Photographic History of DaifukuDevelopment of Japan’s First Computer-Controlled Car Wash

During Japan’s era of rapid economic growth, service stations across the country offered free water-based car wash services to attract customers. This meant that car wash machines had to be very low cost. As gasoline profitability declined and service stations began looking to increase revenue from other sources, charging for car washes gradually became the norm.

In light of this trend, Daifuku began manufacturing car wash machines in 1977. Four years later in 1981, Daifuku utilized control technology cultivated in its material handling field to develop the Waxmor 303, Japan’s first car wash machine with a built-in microcomputer. Whereas car wash machines of the time were generally controlled using relays, the microcomputer in the Waxmor 303 allowed customers to select from seven car wash courses combining four processes: washing, rinsing, waxing, and drying. Meanwhile, the point-of-sale (POS) system enabled hassle-free management of car wash fees. The added value made this new car wash machine highly acclaimed in the service station industry, and even though the machine cost twice as much as conventional machines, Daifuku saw large sales of it and other car wash machines, particularly to service stations looking to charge for car wash services.

In response to the increasingly diverse needs of service stations since then, Daifuku has continued developing a variety of industry-leading car wash products, including tunnel-type car wash machines with roller conveyor technology, as well as water-saving, low-noise, car wash machines.